Black Skimmer in Flight

[Russ Norwood]

I photographed this black skimmer on a tiny island just off the coast of Florida. These birds get their name from their feeding behavior: They fly just above the surface with their ungainly looking lower beak skimming through the water. When their beak contacts a fish they snap their heads down and close the beak to capture a meal.

Canon 7D
500mm F4L IS
1/2500 at F5.6
ISO 320
Gitzo 5 series tripod and Wimberly head

Russ Norwood
www.perceptivist.com

[Jim Crosswell]

I like the flight angle, setting and composition. Is this a big crop? Nice image Russ.

[Joseph Przybyla]

Lovely image Russ, thank you for sharing.

[Russ Norwood]

Thanks very much Jim. Not much of a crop, roughly 15%. Lightroom shows that I also rotated the crop, though not very much.

Russ

[William Dickson]

Hi Russ. I love the pose and the HA on the bird. Maybe I would try and sharpen it a little, I can see why Jim is asking the crop size. The BG is amazing, all those lovely colours blending. Nice work

Will

[Alison McCoy]

Beautiful capture Russ. I like the bg and that it shows the beach and water while still being abstract if that makes sense.

[Ákos Lumnitzer]

A little tight in the frame for my taste. Lovely wing position though and great surroundings.

[arash_hazeghi]

I like the BG and display of habitat, whites look a bit greyish on my screen and I wish the far wing was raised higher

TFS

[gail bisson]

The BG makes this image special.
Lovely color palette.
I agree that there is something "off" about the processing. The details in the whites on the belly look coarse.
This is such a nice picture that I would rework it- trying to sort out what it is that some of us are seeing in the bird,
Gail

[Russ Norwood]

Thanks Gail. I may have overdone the selective sharpening on the bird. I'll give it another look.

Russ