Razor bill - 'The Bullet'

[Steve Kaluski]

I know Avian & BIF perhaps is not my first choice to photograph, but always nice to challenge yourself every now and then.

These guys were like bullets as they left the cliff face to go out to sea for food. I thought Little Auks could move, these were faster it seemed. Light was strong so you make the best of it.

Some folk will want to evict the OOF Gull, I'm 50/50.

Steve

Subject: Razor Bill (Alca torda)
Location: UK
Camera: Canon 1DX MKII
Lens: 200-400f/4 HH
Exposure: 1/3200s at f/9 ISO2000
Original format: Landscape, slight crop, almost FF top & bottom
Processed via: LRCC & PSCC2017

[William Dickson]

Very nice Steve, reminds me of the Isle of May and yes, they are like speeding bullets. Love how you managed to get good detail on the bird, I've photographed them many a time and found them real difficult.

Well done

Will

[Joseph Przybyla]

Nice, I like the image. The OOF gull is fine with me. Techs spot on as always. If mine I would have wished the Razorbill would have turned it's head back a bit, but we take what we can get. Thank you for sharing, Steve.

[Michael Thompson]

Nice job freezing this fast bird so well! it almost looks like a penguin with wings! Nice background color, as for the gull, I vote delete!

[Juan Tolentino]

Hello Steve, I agree with Joe's opinion, but I vote for delete the OOF gull. TFS.


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[Jonathan Ashton]

I like the processing of the plumage Steve. I think I would have made the razorbill a little lower in the frame, though I appreciate you tend to like things a bit higher in the frame than do I. The OOF gull, I am ambivalent, one day I would say it was there so leave it, another I would say is it adding or subtracting from the impact of the image .. remove it? I think in this case I would remove it so my attention was solely on the beautifully portrayed razorbill.

[keith mitchell]

Steve it would have to go it pulls my eye too much,bird looks cracking as does the BG,very well caught.

Keith.