just one Semipalmated Plover

[John Chardine]

I spent a great weekend on the Northumberland Strait shore, New Brunswick and was lucky to have some juvenile Semipalmated Plovers to photograph when the tide was low.

I evened out the BG, cleaned up the beach a little to reduce distractions, and fixed a steely eye caused by the flash (ambient light levels were pretty low and I think this problem is more frequent because the pupil is open wider). I decided to crop to almost pano to include some interesting OOF beach habitat elements. I ran NR on the BG with a little run-over with the blur tool on the darker areas.

I'm not sure what that little tuft of feathers is by the crook of the wing.

Comments welcome of course!

Canon EOS 50D 500/4 x 1.4tc II = 700mm
capture date: Sunday, 13 September 2009, 116AM
exposure program: Aperture Priority
ISO speed: 800
shutter speed: 1/800
aperture: f7.1
exposure bias: +0.7
metering: Pattern
flash: ON - beamer, -2/3 stop

[Randy Stout]

John:

Skillful use of flash, not obvious, except possibly from the specular highlights on some of the rocks. Might lighten the catchlight just a bit. Well exposed, sharp.

Wish I could see just a bit more of lower legs/feet.

I like the environment, although I find myself trying to figure out what is on the left border.

Very nice. Glad you had a fun weekend.

Randy

[Ilija Dukovski]

Very nice bird and pose, good eye contact, I like the rocks too.
At first I thought there's cast on the image, but it seems the color of the rocks is correct?
Very interesting...

[John Chardine]

Very nice bird and pose, good eye contact, I like the rocks too.
At first I thought there's cast on the image, but it seems the color of the rocks is correct?
Very interesting...

Yes Ilija, the rocks are red as is the sand and mud behind the bird. I forgot to mention I checked colour cast by examining the bright whites in LAB colour. They were running about A = -2 and B = -5 so I used Curves to correct this to about 0,0. I hope this makes sense. It's a standard technique I use to check colour cast.

Randy- the yellow bit on the left is some seaweed.

[Paul Lagasi]

Good one, John...love the background, foreground, Plover tack sharp...nice...gotta love our red sand...

[Joe Senzatimore]

Love the soft feel to this and the inclusion of the habitat is a plus for this fine capture.

[arash_hazeghi]

Beautiful John, love the low angle. would sharpen a bit more. very nice.