Marbled Godwit

[wendell westfall]

D90 70-200VR+2X@400 1/2500 f6.3 ISO1000 -2/3EV handheld

This morning I found this lone Marbled Godwit wading in shallow mud near shore, probing for its breakfast. Minor PP in LR3 -- Crop, Vibrance, Clarity, NR and Sharpening. For better or worse, I did not touch the BKG.

Wendell

[Joe Senzatimore]

Beautiful subject in a very nice setting. I think a low angle would help this alot.

[Daniel Cadieux]

I agree a lower angle would have worked, as well as a midtones adjustment as the bird seems a bit light. Good striding pose, and despite the high angle of capture I do like the waving water in ULC.

[Arthur Morris]

Getting face down in the mud would have improved this 1000%.

What focal length were you at? Is that lens an f/2.8?

[Bill Dix]

Great striding pose, Wendell. Ditto the need for a lower capture angle, and some levels adjustment to make the bird pop.

[wendell westfall]

Artie, I was standing on a raised path (perhaps 8 to 10 feet above the water) when i took this picture. I could have lowered myself by lying on the path (or by sitting) as I probabnly should do. The site is the Bolsa Chica Wetlands in Huntington Beach, CA, and many of the photo opportunities there prevent one's getting down to water level. I've had other critiques advising me to get lower.

My setup is a Nikkor 70-200 f/2.8 VR with a Tamron 2X teleconverter. And I find I almost always use the combo at 400mm. I looked up some, for me, rather confusing definitions of "focal length" and believe 400 is the answer to your question. By the way, I try to include that info in my posts with the designation @400, for example.

. . . and thanks to Joe, Daniel and Bill for your critiques. I appreciate the help i'm getting here.

[Arthur Morris]

Thanks Wendell. I have been to Bolsa and it is indeed nearly impossible to get down to the bird's eye level there. In addition, the shorter the focal length of your lens, the greater your angle of declination to the subject will be. Sitting, however, is almost always a better option than standing. In addition, this species is common on most of the beaches in SoCal; you should be able to find them in nice light in locations where you can get down at dirty.