Running while Skimming

[Bill Dix]

This is a first for me. Usually you see Black Skimmers skimming while flying with feet tucked in. I've never noticed one running along while skimming. I've tried a bit of an odd comp here, with the skimmer's wake angled toward the LRC. I wanted to keep the green reflections at the top of the frame. WDYT? From Brigantine on Thursday morning. (One note about Brigantine - AKA Forsythe NWR - the dikes make it impossible to get a low POV. That's good for getting eye level views of terns hovering (one or two of which I will post in due course) but not for low level shots of waterfowl and shorebirds.)

D500, Sigma 150-600 @ 450mm; ISO 800, 1/3200s @ f/8 manual. HH

[Glenn Pure]

Wow, wonderful capture and you've nailed the leg positions beautifully here. Simply brilliant. Agree the composition is a little unorthodox and I'm less certain about it... but I don't know if you had much more frame left to play with either.

[Joseph Przybyla]

Very unique, running and skimming, can't say I ever saw that before. The whites and blacks look good, sharp detail, composition I am still pondering. I don't think you could have done anything other than keep the reflections. Thank you for sharing, Bill.

[gail bisson]

I have also seen the skimmers do this on Madeira Beach in Florida and I too thought it was very unusual.
I did not get as good a shot of this as you did!!
The pose is great and I love the feet. Nice and sharp and good catch light.
I am not sure about the comp and I understand your decision making process. Maybe a sliver more right and bottom?
TFS

[Jay Shah]

Bill really nice capture. What action and details. I would personally would have let go reflections at the top to give more 'runway' for the bird at the bottom.

[Bill Dix]

Thanks all. Here's a repost. I've added all the room I had at the bottom, and a little more flying room to the right. I have more room at right, but to use it all would have centered the bird, and I wanted to keep some of the wake. Head is at the LR ROT point.

[Daniel Cadieux]

Yes, the repost has a much more balanced composition. Nice pose and neat behaviour.

[Bill Dix]

Thanks Daniel.

[Geoffrey Montagu]

Great running / skimming capture, Bill. Went back to my captures that morning to see if I had possibly gotten the running behavior. No luck. Beautiful light with nice color saturation, and sharp detail. Like the repost crop.

Geoffrey




http://500px.com/geoffreymontagu

[John Whaley]

It is a wonderful image Bill. Beautiful light and I like the water reflection on the underside of the wing. Sharp and detailed. The Skimmer nesting island I frequented last summer has been taken over by Pelicans this year.

[Bill Dix]

Thanks Geoffrey and John.