Very nice Colin. Ive seen millions of these and I think this is the best! Though we take them for granted they are quite beautiful. I think it is helped by not having the catchlight which we like to see in more distant birds .
I love the BG colors.
The open bill is very nice and whites look good.
I would raise the exposure slightly and I just wish for a slight more head turn our way.
Overall, a very nice image.
Gail
Love that eye and that bill, but yes, needed more of a head turn toward us.
with love, artie
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I like the way the bird stands out from the background. The eye and feather detail are lovely. The light was in your favour and you took full advantage. Ditto a little more head turn . TFS.
Nice looking bird, gulls work so well in portraits. Nice open bill, great details in the white and good-looking BG. I agree that it would benefit from raising the exposure a tad and a slight head turn.
Thanks for the comments. As Ian said these birds are in their millions and very much overlooked. Rats of the sea because they will steal your food or bait the moment your back is turned. But they are not easy to get a pleasing shot of so I've been working on that. For me, the HA issue here is the eye because the bird is looking slightly away. If it were looking straight at the camera I think it would have been better but you take the opportunities as they come, which you all know!