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Thread: Ring-billed gull prt.

  1. #1
    Bryan Hix
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    Default Ring-billed gull prt.

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    I came accross a small flock of these gulls and they are always fun to experiment with because of their tame nature. I don't know a ton about gulls, but I assume the red eye ring means they are in breeding plummage now. Since I only had the 600 with me, I ended up with a lot of portraits. I like the way the light was on this one. Not sure if it should be cooled down a bit? Suggestions always welcomed. Thanks!

    Canon 1D Mk3
    600mm with 1.4x TC
    ISO 400, 1/2000th @ f/8
    Av Mode, Eval 0 comp
    LR2-crop, adjust curves, lightened iris and corner of mouth
    Take 4/14 @ 1:40pm (not ideal, I know), 81 degrees!

  2. #2
    Connie Mier
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    I like the intimacy of it, but would rather it not be so tightly cropped, maybe a bit more room on top and right. I don't think the whites are hot, but then again, I'm on a laptop. Did you manage a shot with the bird looking straight on at you?

  3. #3
    Bryan Hix
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    I guess I should have asked, does the WB need to be cooled down? I don't have one looking right at me. Thanks for the crop suggestion. It's always hard to tell when you stare at something for a while. It takes another set of eyes. :)

  4. #4
    Connie Mier
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    Oops, my mistake on the whites. From my screen, I wouldn't want to see it cooler, I like the warm tones.

  5. #5
    Fabs Forns
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    I like the warm tones too. Did you try any with a vertical orientation?
    The light angle was off a bit, but the shadows have soft edges. DOF becomes very critical when you are so close, thous the OOF bill.

  6. #6
    Lifetime Member James Salywoda's Avatar
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    Nice 3 d feel to this Bryan great head shot.

  7. #7
    Super Moderator Daniel Cadieux's Avatar
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    WB seems fine, as does exposure...these guys are quite bright white in breeding plumage (speaking of breeding plumage, you are right about the reasoning behind the red eyering). Crop a bit tight and awkward IMO. As Fabs mentions, the light angle is slightly off. Still not too bad though. Would have been able to move left a bit to get the sun directly behind you?

  8. #8
    Bryan Hix
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    Quote Originally Posted by Daniel Cadieux View Post
    WB seems fine, as does exposure...these guys are quite bright white in breeding plumage (speaking of breeding plumage, you are right about the reasoning behind the red eyering). Crop a bit tight and awkward IMO. As Fabs mentions, the light angle is slightly off. Still not too bad though. Would have been able to move left a bit to get the sun directly behind you?
    I would have loved to get a better angle, but I was in my car. I kept trying to herd them toward the right angle to the sun. Pretty funny really if you saw it. :)

  9. #9
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    I like tight portraits like this Bryan!

    Other breeding season features of this bird are bright yellow bill and lack of grey flecking in the head.

    I think the focus point should have been a bit farther back so that the eye was tack.

  10. #10
    Publisher Arthur Morris's Avatar
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    Sharp with a very good EXP. The light from behind and left bugs me a bit as do the two tiny white specks on top of the bill :) Another vote for wider.
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  11. #11
    Axel Hildebrandt
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    I like the eye contact and sharpness but would sharpen the eye more as the critical focus is on the base of the bill. Considering the shutter speed, I would have stopped down more to get eye and tip of the bill in focus, too.

  12. #12
    Bryan Hix
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    Artie that is just funny. I would never have noticed those two dots. I knew when posted this, no, actually I knew as I was editing these that I said to myself, if Arite sees this he is going to hate the light angle on these. Although we have never met, you manage to speak to me when I look through the viewfinder. ;)

  13. #13
    Bryan Hix
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    I widened the crop and sharpened the eye and a small area around the eye and removed the two dots. Thanks for all the suggestions.
    Last edited by Bryan Hix; 04-25-2010 at 10:44 PM.

  14. #14
    Publisher Arthur Morris's Avatar
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    I actually do not hate the light in this image, it is just not my preference. Good job on the two spots :)
    BIRDS AS ART Blog: great info and lessons, lots of images with our legendary BAA educational Captions; we will not sell you junk. 30+ years of long lens experience/e-mail with gear questions.

    BIRDS AS ART Online Store: we will not sell you junk. 35 years of long lens experience. Please e-mail with gear questions.

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