Ring-billed Gull... breeding plumage and color

[Joseph Przybyla]

I captured this image at Lake Morton in Lakeland, Florida. I had to accept more sidelight than I would have preferred to find a area with a pure background. The early morning soft light made it possible. Learn more about Lake Morton in the Birds As Art Middle Florida Photography Site Guide that Artie and I wrote, available on the Birds As Art Online Store. Comments and critique welcomed and appreciated. Thank you for viewing.

Nikon D500
Nikon 80-400mm F/4.5-5.6 VRII AF-S ED, image captured at 400mm
1/1000 F/5.6 Matrix Metering EV +1 ISO 500 Auto 1 WB, camera supported by a monopod
Post processed in Lightroom Classic, Photoshop CC 2019 and Neat Image for noise reduction
Cropped for composition and presentation

[dankearl]

Sweet exposure in the nice light... Good DOF and nice head turn.
I could see a tighter crop off the bottom and left to around the fluffed feathers.

[John Mack]

Like the ruffed look and that breeding plumage is nice. Great background and head turn.