Black Skimmer

[Dorian Anderson]

I wanted to shoot chicks, I really did, but I got totally sucked into flight-work during my first time time at Nickerson last week. It took a while to sort out the light angles
with the beach running east west and the birds using feeding lanes mostly - and frustratingly - parallel to the light source, but I eventually figured it out and walked away
with a couple keepers.

Canon 600mm f/4 IS II on EOS 1DX Mark II
1/3200 at f/5.6, ISO 800, handheld
Processed in LR CC with standard sliders. A bit of extra sharpening around eye.

[Bill Dix]

A fine flight shot with good control of blacks and whites, a nice head angle, beautiful grassy BG. I know that BIF can be addictive, when there are other subjects demanding attention. You keep telling yourself: "just a few more minutes; the next pass will be better". Hard to improve on this one.

[dankearl]

Outstanding.... sharp as can be, love the hint of grass in the FG... I might remove the few sharp grass at the bottom of the frame,
not enough to matter.

[Geoffrey Montagu]

Very nice flight capture, Dorian. Great detail where it needs to be. Like that you got the smooth green BG with some clearer blades of grass in the foreground. There is a light halo on the leading edge of the closest wing down to where it intersects with the white of the rear wing, at least on my monitor.

Geoffrey




http://500px.com/geoffreymontagu

[Moe Richard]

I really like this image. Good job on the detail, wing position, color and especially the background which, to me makes this image work so well.

[Alex Becker]

Sweet wing position, detail, exposure, and BG. I'm back and forth on the small grasses at the bottom, but I think I would leave them in the end. Flight stuff can be so addicting. TFS

[Tim Foltz]

Dorian, very nice IF, exposure colors and BG are spot on, I might consider removing the few grasses in front.

-Tim

[Anthony Barsotti]

This is awesome, nice even lighting and the texture in the background really makes this one stand out. Don’t think there’s anything I’d change with it honestly, TFS!

[Daniel Cadieux]

Top notch man! Super pose and BG. Lots of good details. I actually wish there were more of those grasses below!

[Dorian Anderson]

Very nice flight capture, Dorian. Great detail where it needs to be. Like that you got the smooth green BG with some clearer blades of grass in the foreground. There is a light halo on the leading edge of the closest wing down to where it intersects with the white of the rear wing, at least on my monitor.

Keen eye, and correct. Thanks for noticing it. I didn't until you pointed it out. Have made a few minor processing tweaks to minimize it. Cheers!

[arash_hazeghi]

excellent pose, details, exposure, BG a classic. there is a very subtle green cast on the whites from the light bouncing from the grass, a tiny bit of WB adjustment will take care of it

TFS