It is courtship time for roseate terns. This male had just landed with a fish and immediately took this very angular down wing and up tail position. This display behavior usually follows with interested females begging for the fish, grabbing, tugging, or taking the loot and hightailing it. Sometimes the male and female maintain this pose and circle round each other until something else happens or nothing else happens... This elegant male had three other interested parties arrive within a second all positioning themselves next to him but in the end off he flew with the fish!
Any suggestions for getting the most detail from these wings? Gail B. included a suggestion yesterday on my last post but I need more help, Im not familiar with NIK, tried her suggestion and butchered things... Anything less complicated? Thanks
Looking good Ann. Lovely colours throughout and good control of the blacks and whites. What a great looking pose and the BG colour looks good against the bird. I would try some Detail Extractor on NIK software. You have to keep it to a minimum. eg 1%. then on that layer, even reduce it further maybe 50% opacity. Try it and see, as long as you are very careful it does bring out more detail. The only other way I find to bring out more detail on the whites is by reducing the highlights in PS, but then, it tends to grey the whites if used in excess. I think some DE on the bird, would make a big difference.
Simply beautiful capture. Interesting pose with his catch, and I like the bit of leg leading to virtual foot. Perfect shade of grey in BG. I like the level of detail, as it works well with the soft light IMO.
I think this is one of your best images.
It is all about triangular lines- the rock, the wings, the wing tips the uplifted tail and body.
It creates a great tension to the image.
The fish in the beak is a bonus and I love the color of the water.
Good HA.
I agree that a bit of DE would help but still a terrific image as is!
Gail
Super cool pose here and the fish is a major bonus. Like Gail I love the rock as well. The colors are slightly off on this as well. Roseate Terns are a pale pale gray. Again I see a bluish tint to this shot. NIK would help bring out some more detail on the head as well. Call me tomorrow if you get the chance and I will walk you through it. With a little TLC this can be a real winner.
Wow, look at all those angles and curves! Terrific pose. Fish and perch add a lot too. Although a minor element in the image, the bit of orange leg adds so much. Did you run NR to the black cap on the head?
Terns in general are beautiful subjects, this one is a special treat. Love the pose, the pastel colors and the fish. It feels like she is taking the shape of the rock with the body. The image has a strong artistic feel. Love it!
Holy crap Ann!! This one is even better than the last one and I have to agree with Gail, one of your better frames!!! The pose is just beautiful and so unique. I think you could have pushed the exposure a bit more at capture but I think the processing is great for what you are working with. Plenty of nice detail in the wing.
This could be some contest material!!
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a very handsome endangered roseate tern
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