Black Skimmer

[Axel Hildebrandt]

Photographed in a very large puddle on the beach on Long Island. I was standing in the water to get closer, the birds just skimmed for a second or two before raising the head to swallow the water.

I just got Viveza and used it here for the first time to lighten the water a little. It's amazing how well it works and how much time it saves.



1D3, 500f4, 1.4x, 1/1600s, f/8, ISO 400

[Rod Wiley]

Very nice composition, on my monitor is appears the whites are a little hot where the wing touches the body. But over all its pretty good.

[Mike Tracy]

Nice comp, catch light and the whites look good from here. Wish for more detail in the blacks though.

[Axel Hildebrandt]

Thanks, Rod! I double-checked, the white area on the body goes only up to 237-247. The reds on the bill might look overexposed, they are about 235 in the 16bit TIFF file. When saved as sRGB it sometimes goes to 255.

[Grace Scalzo]

What I like most about this image is the reflection of the water on the under wing. (BTW-Puddles are now nearly gone)

[Dave Phillips]

I always enjoy seeing these skimmers......hope to see the real thing someday.
Whites are beautiful.......no where near hot as you noted.

The action is just enough toward the viewer so there is excellent eye contact

[Harshad Barve]

Great shot, exposure looks good on my monitor

Harshad

[Bruce Enns]

Hi Axel, Love the water spray, eye contact, comp, and especially the reflections of the ripples on the underwing. I too wish for more detail in the blacks.

Great shot!

Cheers!
Bruce

[Kobus Tollig]

This makes me Green. Super well done. Great comp exposure and detail

[Stu Bowie]

Great low angle Axel, and action well captured. Exposure on both blacks and whites good, and overall, nice and sharp.

[Morkel Erasmus]

one of the sharpest skimmer shots I've seen. brilliant!!

[Ramon M. Casares]

VERY nice. Great pose, comp, natural moment, light, exposure, colors and detail. Congratulations!