I worked with Royal Terns as well at the beach. I didn't get the chance to squat completely to take this picture, but I did what I could to get this moment. Does it still work for you guys though?
Post processing involves the usual tonality correction, a couple local curves manipulation to fix local exposure, and then canvas extension to the left and to the top. I really shot this tight at 220mm and I think it needs room for the beautiful bird to "take-off".
Awesome bird there, I see it has a little bling, on it's foot too. I would like a lower angle, but then you might have ended up all sandy, with no picture!
Despite the bad light and light direction, I think you did pretty good. I love
the wings straight up.
As far as squatting...I always recommend not to squat. Its to easy to rock
back n forth. If you can't sit on your bum, at least kneel on both knees.
You'll have a more stable base to shoot from.
Adhika, Nice. We have these terns here and I hope to see some in May. I agree with Doug on the squatting thing. More than once have I overbalanced. I know the conditions were harsh, but you've pulled off good exposure. I like the up thrust wings, but overall it's not an image that really grabs me...in the Adhika style. Can you share the ISO?
Re: squatting. Spot on guys. I mostly sat on the sand when shooting at the beach that day (see the previous gull picture) but I was about to go and grab a snack from the car when I startled the bird and made it fly. Squatting was more like reflex than anything.
I would have instantly deleted this picture if not for the wing and leg positions that I thought were adding some dynamism to the image. But I know what you mean, Glennie!
Very nice catch, nice action and frozen movement. I'd love to see a little more on the bottom and right and less on the left. If there isn't more canvas on the right I'd remove the two dark areas that look like extensions of the shadow that are cut off.
Adhika, I always get confused with your left and right. They seem to be different to my left and right. When you say you added canvas to the LHS do you mean behind the bird?
Added canvas to the left, meaning to my left (in front of the bird). I guess I am so used to shooting landscape that there is no "bird's" left or right. It's always the canvas's left or right. haha.
I don't have any more room on the right, but I think Diane made a really good point about the cut off shadows.
I think you could successfully add a little to the right and bottom. The composition feels a bit awkward as is. This content-aware thing is pretty amazing.
Hmm, I had the chance to play a little bit with the crop composition this morning. It still looks a little awkward to me. Glennie is right, I didn't think through the composition as I shot this and it does feel like a not very well thought composition. This is a very interesting exercise though.
Not sure how anyone can think through a composition with this much action! You got a great pose and sharp capture. I really like the added canvas. It does look a bit awkward, possibly from the downward angle. I wonder if a slight CW rotation would work well?
Diane, I think you are right, the high vantage point is my undoing here. And I agree with the CW rotation. Just to make the shadow level. Ah, I wish I could get the same shot all over again from a much better angle.
Take-off Roll
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