Purple sandpiper portrait

[Mads Syndergaard]

During winter, a small number of purple sandpipers winter on a rocky pier not far from where I live. One of them is colour-ringed, and has been coming to the same pier for at least two seasons now, with trips to the Arctic in between. This is my most attractive shot of one so far:

Minimal post processing done, and EXIF as follows:

• Aperture: ƒ/4.5
• Camera: Canon EOS-1D Mark IV
• Taken: 22 February, 2015
• Exposure bias: -1.7EV
• Focal length: 600mm
• ISO: 400
• Shutter speed: 1/1250s

It is my first image posted here - I hope you like it. CC is very welcome though!

[Daniel Cadieux]

Hi Mads, welcome to BPN!! I have a soft spot for shorebirds, so you start very well. I like the over-the shoulder pose, and you composed the image very well - the pano crop was well thought out. Very nice IQ on the subject. The subdued light looks good, and the wet perch is appealing. I kinda wish that the BG rock was even more OOF, but still OK as is. Looking forward to more!

[Mads Syndergaard]

Thanks Daniel! I could always add a spot of blur to the bg, but it does seem to me that the image has a less grainy feel to it on my screen when viewed from other sources than here. Besides, I always muck it up when I try to take the post-processing too far... I've got one that might fit in the February theme, if that is still open to entrants? Will have to wait until tomorrow to post it I believe, so not really many days left of February then...
Thanks again,

[Jonathan Ashton]

I like the pose and the lovely light on the bird, the rock in the background doesn't help but I appreciate how tricky composition can be under these circumstances.

[Mads Syndergaard]

Hi Jonathan, I guess we'll have to agree to disagree then; I think the rock helps define the bird (it is a rocky shoreline dweller). But thanks for commenting :-)!