Skimming Skimmer

[Axel Hildebrandt]

Photographed on Long Island early in the morning. There was not too much skimming activity and I was glad this bird was cooperative.



1D3, 500f4, 1.4x, 1/1250s, f/8, EC +0.33, ISO 400

[Lorant Voros]

Very nice one, Axel. Bonus to see the eye. White looks overexposed on my monitor, especially on the face. Congrats.

[Axel Hildebrandt]

Very nice one, Axel. Bonus to see the eye. White looks overexposed on my monitor, especially on the face. Congrats.

Thanks, Lorant! I double-checked the exposure, the whites on the face are in the ~240 vicinity.

[Daniel Cadieux]

Neat incoming pose Axel, and the pano crop works well. Glad you found a cooperative fella. As presented I'm finding the reds a bit too saturated.

[Axel Hildebrandt]

Neat incoming pose Axel, and the pano crop works well. Glad you found a cooperative fella. As presented I'm finding the reds a bit too saturated.

Thanks, Daniel! I agree on the reds. You gotta love sRGB compression. :)

[Todd Frost]

Agree on pose and crop choice, nice detail and eye contact. Reds do look a little over saturated.

Todd

[Fabs Forns]

Very nice pose and great to get him doing what they do best :)

[Randy Stout]

Axel:

I have noticed on a number of skimmer images, that even if the whites on the face are not blown, as they creep above ~235 or so, they look blown. I think its usually the lack of detail we interpret as being blown. My question is if their is something different about the feathers there, very fine, etc., that consistently gives that appearance?

Randy

[Axel Hildebrandt]

Axel:

I have noticed on a number of skimmer images, that even if the whites on the face are not blown, as they creep above ~235 or so, they look blown. I think its usually the lack of detail we interpret as being blown. My question is if their is something different about the feathers there, very fine, etc., that consistently gives that appearance?

Randy

Randy,

I think your assumption makes sense. In some birds there is almost no texture in the whites, Harlequin Ducks are a good example and in that case the whites on the head look easily overexposed even if they are well below 255.

[Chris van Rooyen]

Stunning light and posture! Whites seems fine on my monitor.

[Dave Barnes]

Action well captured, I like the fact that you got him coming towards you. Nice eye contact and the reds pop draw you eye to the action.

[Stu Bowie]

The pano crop works well Axel, and well timed to capture him so low down. Once again, lovely eye shown up against the darker plumage.

[Tony House]

Nice work Axel, looks a cool bird to photograph....