Real Balancing Act

[Ken Lassman]

After seeing the posts by Fabs and Randy, I thought I would share this action shot of a Ring-Billed Gull that was in a feeding frenzy about 75 yards off shore on the east coast of Florida (Delray Beach). He looked like a high speed catamaran.


Nikon D300
Nikon 300/2.8 VR lense
Nikon 1.7X TC
ISO 400 (May have been better @ 200)
F/7.1 @ 1/3200

[NoahGaines]

Nice action capture. I agree with the cat look. However, I think that this shot needs eye contact to work. The background seems noisy and the blue seems oversaturated but I am used to the blue green of the Pacific so can't really say.

[Ken Lassman]

Thanks Noah,
It was just a fun shot and I didn't adjust the blue...that's why I thought going down to ISO 200 would have been better. I definitely agree about the eye contact...I asked him to come ashore but he didn't listen to me. Here is a repost with the adjustment

[Troy Lim]

Thanks Noah,
It was just a fun shot and I didn't adjust the blue...that's why I thought going down to ISO 200 would have been better. I definitely agree about the eye contact...I asked him to come ashore but he didn't listen to me. Here is a repost with the adjustment

Ken,

If you shoot at ISO200 with the same settings, it would have been darker. ISO200, using slower shutter speed, get some blur in the image might have given it a different feel, might have been more dramatic.

[Randy Stout]

Ken:

Great timing on the capture. Yes, eye contact would make it better, but not possible with this particular pose. Did you have any later frames as he pulled up?

Randy

[Gary Jones]

Great timing. Nit about the eyes covered. I think you need something between the two you posted. There seems to be a strange blur above the left wing where it joins the body and above the tail...:confused: