Black Skimmer

[Amy DeStefanis]

At Ft. DeSoto this morning. A huge flock of these guys was on the beach. Some more calm than others.

Nikon D80
70-300 VR @280mm
ISO 400
1/800 sec
f/8
Noise Reduction on BG
USM on subject
cropped vertically from orig.

:)

Amy D.

[Daniel Cadieux]

Hi Amy, nice relaxed pose on this individual. Some of the whites are hot but look salvagable. Although the wave gives it a nice "beach" feeling I kinda find it distracting. Not sure vertical was best choice? I do like it overall though, and thanks for sharing it :-)

[Amy DeStefanis]

Hi Daniel,

Here it is horizontal. Did the same noise and sharpening activities.... There was no clipping on the highlights, but I reduced the exposure -.25.

Thanks for the comments and suggestions.

Amy D.

[Linda Robbins]

The repost looks great and I prefer the horizontal composition. I don't mind the wave at all, and I like the subdued reflection in the wet sand. Nice capture!

[Lance Peters]

Hi Amy - like the repost better - feels like it might need some CW rotation. Well done :)

[Mike Tracy]

I like the repost as well. Nice catch light. The horizontal crop helps with the wave also. It now gives more of a sense of it rolling in as opposed to just a bunch of crashing water behind your subject.

[Fabs Forns]

Another vote for the horizontal.
When doing birds by the shoreline, it's a good idea to watch for the waves that could become a distraction.

[Amy DeStefanis]

Thanks for the comments, everyone.

Yes - I do watch the waves. Unfortunately, the birds generally don't, so sometimes there's a decision about head-angle vs. wave action - other birds walking in and out of the background - even "bird about to fly away because his friend just did".

It might be helpful in critiques if we have some explanation of what application the person critiquing has in mind when the critique is done...

For instance, for publication in a scientific type journal that would welcome habitat details, it might be viewed differently than for possible creation of an art print. Printing in a magazine has its own requirements vs printing for books or newspapers - or even the internet.

I get the feeling that different people have their own idea of application that they are critiquing toward, but that vision is not expressed often. It might help some of us to learn more about that vision.

Thanks everyone!
Amy D.

[Harold Davis]

nice repost amy!!! my vote for the horizontal too!

as far as your last post, i was and am under the impression that this is a "bird's as art" site. with that being said, i try to go for the most artful presentation that i can.

one thing i was taught, in reference to the waves behind the bird is, that when on the beach and you have waves behind you, shoot a burst of a few images.....that way you get the same head angle and a few different waves to choose from!!