Pacific golden plover, milk-chocolate BG

[Craig Brelsford]

The plover that I posted 24 hrs. ago has received mixed reviews. I want to get this right, so I've worked a different shot, using the dominant color from the original BG for the artificial background. I sharpened the plover and removed several tiny hot spots from the bill. The shot yesterday was rectangular; this one is a square. I spent two and a half hours on my belly at a site on the East China Sea near Pudong Airport in Shanghai. There were four species of plover.

Camera: Nikon D300
Lens: VR 600mm F/4G
Vibration reduction: on
Aperture: F/8
Shutter speed: 1/500s
ISO: 200
Exposure mode: aperture priority
Exposure compensation: -0.7EV
Flash: none

[Don Lacy]

Hi Craig, After reading your post I looked at the first image you posted and this is a nice improvement the BG compliments the plover instead of being a distraction and the color and detail on the Plover is excellent. Still not a fan of the square crop but thats more a matter of taste,

[Grace Scalzo]

Hello Craig. Your technique is certainly fine as the bird is nice and sharp and well exposed. Square crops aren't popular but I rather like them in cases such as this. I'm not a fan of the artificial bg tho....a bit too sterile and perfect looking. (I have a royal tern in my collection that I feel the same way about). I'm curious as to what the original background looked like.

[Craig Brelsford]

Grace, Don, thanks for your insights. I'm finding that I'm using my iPhone more and more to display my photos. In that small (5 x 7 cm) format, simple is best. I've therefore been experimenting with simplifying my backgrounds. Yes, it's semi-artificial, but in this case art serves reality, for the eye of the viewer goes directly to the bird; there's zero clutter; it's a bird's head inside my phone.

Here's the more or less original shot. What a thrill it was to get close to this very attractive bird.

[Grace Scalzo]

Craig, thanks for your sharing your reasoning. For the purpose of the i-phone, I can see your logic. I think you have some nice opportunites (from the image above) to create some more natural looking images. You are right, the bird is beautiful. Worth the effort to try and get him clear of the grass as this looks like a very workable background.

[Craig Brelsford]

Right. Thanks, Grace. I have a whole series from the shoot, including several of the plover clear of the grass, but I was wanting to post something a bit experimental to this forum and generate some discussion. Does the similar American golden plover ever make a pit stop on Long Island?

[Grace Scalzo]

Yes, Craig, the golden plover does appear here, and I have only once been fortunate enough to see him. Maybe this fall. Keep posting, I am enjoying your work (and the discussion generated).