Ruddy Turnstone on Barnegat Jetty

[Bill Dix]

D90; 80-400 VR @ 310mm, 25mm ET; ISO 320. f/7.1 @ 1/1000s. Matrix metering @ -2.0 EV. Aperture priority. HH. Full-frame. Gaussian blur on the bg, and cleaned up some droppings on the rock.

This guy was napping, and let me get closer than the min focusing distance for my lens; then patiently waited while I got the extension tube out of my vest pocket. I was on a higher rock and couldn't get down to his eye level. I had to talk to him nicely to get him to turn his head and open his eyes. He needs his rest -- in a month or two he'll be above the Arctic Circle.

[Alfred Forns]

Hi Bill When the image open I just said Wow !!!! High impact and love it !!

Bird stands out very well from the bg, sharp and good dof plus perfectly exposed. Sure had to dial in some neg comp to take care !!! Big Congrats on this one !!!! Sweet !!

[Bill Dix]

Hi Bill When the image open I just said Wow !!!! High impact and love it !!

Bird stands out very well from the bg, sharp and good dof plus perfectly exposed. Sure had to dial in some neg comp to take care !!! Big Congrats on this one !!!! Sweet !!

Thank you Alfred. For once the subject gave me plenty of time to think about what I was doing. Only challenge was not dropping the lens off the rock when I put on the ET.

[Alfred Forns]

You were lucky Bill For me these guys never stand still :)

[Kristin Brown]

Love it Bill. Nothing to add :)

[Harold Davis]

WOW is right!! fine job here, bill!! almost has a 3D look to it it stands out so much from the bg.

[Lance Peters]

Got a winner there bill - the BG makes the bird POP.
Gorgeous image.

[Bob Miller]

Hi Bill...Beautiful job...Love the feather detail and how the bird stands out from the background. Congrats!

[Mark Young]

Beautiful image and composition.

[Bill Dix]

Thank you all for the kind comments. I would have responded sooner, but the nor'easter knocked out my power for several days and I'm just now back up to speed.