Moments after my Juvi OC post below......I wasn't able to move fast enough to the left.....to get the perfect light angle.....but I felt the sidelight still worked......he sure did stay close to the parent when they pulled up a morsel.
Canon 1D Mark lll with the Sigma 300-800 at 501mm and f10 for 1/320 sec and ISO 800 all mounted on lowered tripod w/ wimberly head. Noise ninja run on BG (although not 100% sure I needed it)
slight crop off backside...Artie....that about as much room as I ever consider leaving:D.
Interresting documentary picture. On the composition side, I feel that there is not enough seperation between the 2 birds. I also wish the juvenile's head was more toward the camera.
It comes to mind as I think about all the images that have been posted lately of shorebirds feeding that there are so many elements that have to come into play, and it is not easy! I like the side light here as the birds' faces are nicely lit. The youngster's head turned into his parent's is fine as your story is about the interaction and feeding, but to have them both turned away kind of detaches the viewer from the scene. And to my eye, the incoming wavelet intersecting the head is not ideal. There are so many horizontal lines in this image, I'd eliminate one of them by quick masking the smooth sand onto the ripply sand at the bottom. Lastly, there appears to be a sharpening halo across the top of the adult's back. Is any of this fatal to the image? Absoutely not to my eyes, just elements to possibly consider next time out. (This is probably WAY more critique than you wanted. LOL)
I like the side light as captured here and a very tender moment. Left would have given you also a better head angle. But sometimes we can't have it all.
Excellent critique by Grace.
Love the moment capture as well as the light.
I think you would loose the connection between the bird if the juvenile's head was more toward the camera.
Would love to have one like it in my gallery.