Atlantic Puffin

[Larry Warfield]

From our recent trip to Machias Seal Island. Unfortunately it was a very rainy, foggy day. Shot with Nikon D300 with 70-300 VR @ 220mm at 1/125, f/8, ISO200.

What I liked was how the feathers being blown & the rain on the back captures the bad weather.

[Steve Maxson]

Welcome Larry. I like the mood you've captured with the water droplets and the bird looking out into the gloom. I think this would be even more effective if you had more room on the top and right to give the bird more space to look into that gloom. Keep them coming.

[Tony Whitehead]

Welcome to BPN, Larry. Very nice first post - I would love to photograph these birds some day. I agree with Steve on giving the Puffin more room in the frame. IMO this would have been an ideal situation for some fill flash to reveal more detail in the darker areas, highlight the bill colours and put a catchlight in the eye. I find the D300 fine at iso 400-800 which would have gained a little shutter speed if needed in the gloom. Looking forward to seeing more of your images.

[Juan Aragonés]

Wellcome on board Larry. The puffin is very tight in the frame, specially at the top, and it seems a bit flat or lacking contrast. A touch of fill flash would improve the result but you can also fix the problem adjusting the levels and saturation in PS, mainly on the bird.I like the Bg, mood and pose of the bird. Keep them coming ;-)

[Arthur Morris]

Hi Larry, I would love to see your first post, but somebody stole the image!

[Axel Hildebrandt]

Welcome to BPN, Larry! Nice first post. I went to Machias last year and know that the light is hit or miss. Juan's repost looks good, more room top and bottom and the bird angled towards you would be good. Keep them coming!

[Arthur Morris]

I am still not seeing the original post (just the little red X). What are you seeing Axel?

[Juan Aragonés]

Artie I can see the original image with Firefox and with Explorer.

[Arthur Morris]

Thanks Juan. I can see it now... Go figure.

[Arthur Morris]

Hi Larrym, Welcome. Please let us know how you determined the exposure.

[Larry Warfield]

Please let us know how you determined the exposure.

I was shooting aperture priority, so set it to F/8 and +1/2EV to compensate for the fog.

Larry

PS: Sorry for the problems accessing the image. It's actually on my home server & the network has been going up & down.

[Arthur Morris]

I was shooting aperture priority, so set it to F/8 and +1/2EV to compensate for the fog. PS: Sorry for the problems accessing the image. It's actually on my home server & the network has been going up & down.

Thanks on both counts Larry. Strange that the original post was so dark as with all that black in the frame I would have thought that Nikon at +1/2 stop woud have been pretty good.

Are you familiar with exposing to the right?

IAC, with the bird barely fitting into the frame here, a vertical would have been in order. I like the raindrops and the sharpness. Great re-work by Juan--the face and eye could go even lighter.

ps: as for the server problem, membership has its advantages

[Larry Warfield]

Thanks on both counts Larry. Strange that the original post was so dark as with all that black in the frame I would have thought that Nikon at +1/2 stop woud have been pretty good.

I had tried to tweak the blacks a little in post. Here's the original. (I also tried to crop it better incorporating the feedback.)

Are you familiar with exposing to the right?

Not sure. Do you mean exposing so the histogram is just touching the right hand side & then adjusting back in post? I guess I haven't totally internalized that technique. I had been watching my highlights and dialing back to avoid blowing out the whites. In LR it looks like I had more space to the right.

IAC, with the bird barely fitting into the frame here, a vertical would have been in order. I like the raindrops and the sharpness. Great re-work by Juan--the face and eye could go even lighter.

ps: as for the server problem, membership has its advantages

Juan, thanks for the rework. It's great to see what people mean, rather than just hearing the words.

Being between jobs, I've been pinching the pennies. But the feedback is worth the price (Thanks everyone.) I guess I'll have to squeeze the money out of the budget elsewhere so I can join.

[Arthur Morris]

Larry, please repost the image in the pane above 800 pixels wide and less than 200 kb. Thanks. Not sure how it passed muster but it was huge!

[Arthur Morris]

:)Hi Again Larry,

re:

I had tried to tweak the blacks a little in post. Here's the original. (I also tried to crop it better incorporating the feedback.)

I did get a peek at it but had to delete it as it was huge. It seems that you made the whole thing darker. Once you learn the basics of Photoshop (Digital Basics is highly recommended), you can make the image look just as good as Juan did in short order.

Not sure. Do you mean exposing so the histogram is just touching the right hand side & then adjusting back in post?

Yes, exactly. The image in most cases as it comes out of the camers should have looked washed out on the back of the camera and on the computer as well.

I guess I haven't totally internalized that technique. I had been watching my highlights and dialing back to avoid blowing out the whites.

That is exactly the same thing :)

In LR it looks like I had more space to the right.

That sounds likely.

Being between jobs, I've been pinching the pennies. But the feedback is worth the price (Thanks everyone.) I guess I'll have to squeeze the money out of the budget elsewhere so I can join.

Flash Card: $100-$200. Camera: $1,000-$8,000. Lens: $2,000-10,000. The advice you get on BPN: Priceless.....