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Thread: Swallow-tailed Gull

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    BPN Member Bill Dix's Avatar
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    Default Swallow-tailed Gull

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    D90; 80-400 VR @ 370mm. ISO 400. f/7.1. 1/2500s. -1.0 EV. HH.

    Taken on South Plaza Island, Galapagos last month. Part of the bird was hidden behind a rock outcrop in the cliff face, so I cropped down to a head shot to show his wonderful eyering. C&C appreciated.

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    Stunning Subject...

    Some day if I'm lucky I might get to see one....

    Perfect exposure and love the eye ring.

    I might have been tempted to blur the background rock but it's still very nice as presented.

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    Lifetime Member Stu Bowie's Avatar
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    The detail of the eye makes this image Bill. This is tack sharp too. Well captured.

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    Forum Participant Joe Senzatimore's Avatar
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    Many people feel that lens is not sharp. this image puts that tale to rest. Outstanding detail and good idea on the crop.

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    BPN Member Bill Dix's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Joe Senzatimore View Post
    Many people feel that lens is not sharp. this image puts that tale to rest. Outstanding detail and good idea on the crop.
    Thanks Joe. I find that if I back it off to 370mm and f/7.1, I get some pretty sharp results (sometimes - other times it's not the fault of the lens).

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    Bill, I really like the feather details and the bill texture here. face is lit appropriately. Shooting angle a little high for my tastes but not sure if you could have gone a little lower. And what BG you might have got. Yes...loved the eye ring.

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    Axel Hildebrandt
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    I like the head angle, sharpness and BG and only wish for softer light and a more favorable light angle.

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    Perfect exposure and love the eye ring, Excellent image
    TFS

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    It does have a wonderful eyering. I like the sharp details and wish you had more favorable lighting conditions. You made a very nice image of a gull I'd love to photograph.

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    BPN Member Bill Dix's Avatar
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    Thank you all for the kind comments.

    Denise: I agree about the lighting. You'll get your chance soon. These birds are fairly plentiful on North Seymour, South Plaza and Espanola. On a 2-week photo expedition you should be able to get better opportunities for good light than was the case with our trip which was not specifically geared to photographers. (How do you say in Spanish to the Zodiac driver: "No! Wrong angle. Back up and approach the penguin from the sunlit side."?)

    Kaustubh: No option for lower angle unless I rappelled down the cliff face. Position was not unlike that of Paul Lagasi's Puffin Close-up shot posted yesterday, except that I was lying on guano-encrusted lava instead of grass.

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    [quote=Bill Dix;521877]Thank you all for the kind comments.

    (How do you say in Spanish to the Zodiac driver: "No! Wrong angle. Back up and approach the penguin from the sunlit side."?)

    I hear you:);)

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    BPN Member Bill Dix's Avatar
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    Actually, they did a very good job, considering that they had to deal with current and wave direction, jagged lava rocks and the safety of their 8 passengers. It's just that sun angle was not something they had been asked to think about. Until I got on the boat. ;)

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