Ring Billed Gull Portrait

[Rachel Hollander]

Another of my sporadic ventures into Avian photography. This was taken last January on my first outing with the 7D2 and 100-400 II but I thought because it was theme appropriate that I would process and post it now. Because I was testing out the new combo I was playing around with settings.

7D2
100-400 II @ 400mm
1/2000
f7.1
ISO 800
HH, ff, levels, curves and sharpened in CCPS.

C&C welcome and appreciated. Thanks,

Rachel

[Ron Conlon]

I really love the textures and depth of field you managed, stopping down with great light.

[Stu Bowie]

Hi Rachel, great seeing you participating in the monthly theme, and what a lovely subject. Excellent IQ, and you certainly nailed the exposure and sharpness. Love the detail in the eye, and on the beak. A great image.

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Rachel, I might look at a square crop, based on that this is FF. For me there is too much dead space to the right and not enough to the left and going tighter would IMHO tighten the focus. Nice detail & controlled whites.

TFS
Steve

[Daniel Cadieux]

Fantastic details!! The whites look perfect and you have a nice BG to set it all off against. I like the bit of feather on the bill, but I would clean up the white spot on the black part near the top of the upper mandible. Appealing all around...

[Rachel Hollander]

Thanks Gents for the comments and suggestions. As always, they are very much appreciated.

Rachel

[Gabriela Plesea]

Hello Rachel!

So glad to see an avian image from you! Very well exposed and lovely detail, is that a water droplet or a tiny feather, on its beak?

Lovely colours and subject stands out so well against that BG, very beautiful, a lovely surprise - thank you!

Warmest regards,

[Rachel Hollander]

Thanks Gabriela, it is indeed a feather.

[gail bisson]

Very nice image.
Lots of excellent detail in the feathers.
Agree with Steve on the crop.
Gail