This image was created at the Shediac Marina Common Tern colony in (you guessed it) Shediac, New Brunswick. The birds nest on an old barge which has been filled with gravel. Not sure what the wooden pilons are for but the terns like to roost on them like this. It gives them a good vantage point for predators.
I added some canvas to the left which included some of the left side of the pilon from another image. I think terns are about as close to perfection as you can get in a bird!
40D, 500mm f4, 1.4x tc II
capture date: Wednesday, 2 July, 2008 5:21:24 PM
exposure program: Manual, +2/3 off blue sky 180° from sun
ISO speed: 400
shutter speed: 1/1600
aperture: f5.6
exposure bias: +0.0
metering: Pattern
light source: Auto
flash: ON - Beamer, 580 EX II manual, full power (!), FP synch
John
I really love the simplicity of this one....clean, sharp, well exposed and great eye contact. Interesting how the few touches of red and green add to the image. I always waffle on whether to add a touch more...or less USM and I wonder if a touch might be in order...but it's a lot like adding salt......depends on one's individual taste. I agree.....terns are perfect......I just have problems telling "which" perfect tern I have.....given I'm pretty landlocked in KY. Well done.
I have to agree that it is a perfect bird, elegant, smooth and gracious lines. I love the masked head appearance. The hole being a half and not whole should go. It is on the bottom and cut off, fill it in. I want to say John, having a staff ornithologist on site is a terrific bonus for all of us. Way to cool!
The half a whole hole is gone courtesy Quick Mask! Thanks for the suggestion. It brings up a point that I sometimes completely miss things like this. It's almost like they are not there. Maybe you are too close to your own images. I know I am getting better at scanning all over to look for things like this.
Thanks for the comment Grady on the new forum. It's been good so far and I think will make a contribution to BPN and its members.