Galapgos #10, Cactus Scenic

[Arthur Morris]

This Brown Noddy flying in front of a distant cactus high up on a ridge on Bartolome (we were in a panga) was created with the handheld Canon 400mm f/4 IS DO lens and the EOS-1D MIII. ISO 800. Evaluative metering +1 2/3 stops: 1/500 sec. at f/4.5 in Tv Mode.

By working in TV mode in the pangas in low light conditions and setting auto ISO we asssured ourselves of at least getting sharp images.

I wish that the bird were totally against clean sky without the belly merge with the ridge.
Don't be shy. All comments welcome.

[Brian Barcelos]

Lovely bird and BG, the cacti adds a lot to this image. Love the angle on the bird and sharpness is great. I'm sure if you really wanted you could make the hill not merge with his belly.;) I'm really enjoying all your Galapagos images. Congrats

Brian

[Aidan Briggs]

Perfect exposure, and sharpness. The overcast lighting is nice here. I do like the environment included here, but this would not be my favorite image of yours from your Galapagos trip.

I might run more NR on the darker areas of the BG.

Well Done

[Arthur Morris]

Thanks Aidan. Check your e-mail! I need some info for the letter and I want to print and sign it before I leave tomorrow.

[Aidan Briggs]

Will do Artie! I will check it right now.

[Harshad Barve]

Guruji
I am loving this image
nice eye contact and wing postion
I dont find any problmes in BG , agreed on belly postion here
BTW (we were in a panga) is this a name of place where you shoot them ??

would like to see some posting in wildlife section from Galapgos
TFS

[Ilija Dukovski]

Very nice flight position on the bird. Colors of the bird go well with the bright sky.
I wish the dark part in the LLH corner was not there at all. Can you not clone it away completely.
Or at least a part just below the bird.
Perhaps using a variant of the technique you used to blur the BG on the Gull image from Galapagos.
In that case you would have great composition with the cactus.

[Kiran Poonacha]

Loved the Feel of the frame Guru.. the pose works well and the BG showsing the Environment looks good.. congrats..

[Arthur Morris]

Harshad, Panga down there means Zodiac or dinghy, a large rubber boat with a wooden floor and an outboard motor.

Somebody told me that panga means "big fight" in Hindi, your national language. Is that correct?

Fortunately there has never been a panga in a panga.

[Harshad Barve]

Guruji
You caught me red handed , Yes ,
I edited that

[Arthur Morris]

This is a panga.

[Arthur Morris]

And thanks for the great suggestion. I used Protect and Defend cloning (at 66% opacity). See in the Bulletin Archives or in Digital Basics.

[Harshad Barve]

Guruji
Thanks a ton for Panga :)
I am loving repost , this is so good,
IMHO such images takes to you there
TFS

[Brian Barcelos]

Huge improvement and great job with the clean up.

Brian

[Kathy Reeves]

Amazing how much improvement was made by removing just the top of the hill. Galapagos Islands ---how wonderful.

Kathy

[Arthur Morris]

Thanks Kathy and all, Galapagos 2010, 15 amazing days on the boat is sold out. E-mail if you are interested in 2011.

[Ákos Lumnitzer]

Artie,
Pane 12 is what I was going to suggest. Excellent work Sir. Thanks for the inspirations! :)