After using up the early morning light on shorebirds and sparrows, I spent some time observing the terns at Brigantine. They hover into the wind, right above the spot where the fish are jammed up trying to get out of the narrow outflow of the East Pool, just after the tide has turned. I took a bunch of practice shots - by now the sun was getting harsh and the breeze was NW. But if I can ever coordinate my schedule with a turning tide within an hour after sunrise, with a northeast breeze, I'll be waiting for them. Stay tuned. As they say "time and tide wait for no man". [PS-forgot to mention: for $1.99 I downloaded a great little Tide Tables app for the iPhone. Very useful.]
Hi Bill - lots to like here - like the use of the high SS to freeze the wing action. Good catchlight in the eye - HA looks good and like the look of concentration.
BG looks good - might try and soften the shadows under the wing a little. On my screen there is one patch on the neck that looks a little bright - could just be my screen though.
Good show :)
Lance nailed the critique IMO. I really like the position of the bird in the frame but it would be nice to have him more angled towards the focal plane of the camera. Might also try bringing the feet up just a tiny bit to see if you can show off a little more detail there as well. Can't wait to see the upcoming images!
Wind can be your friend or enemy.
From your image creation information, you know that.
In this case a N to NE wind would have prevented the deep shadow under the wing.
When photographing flyers with winds like you had, I try a photograph the birds banking.
Had the right wing been down while banking the top of the bird would have great feather detail without the shadows.
Excellent job on capturing the action. Tack sharp and well exposed.
Is this much of a crop?
Thank you Lance, Jules and Jim. I did get at least one banking shot, which I will post in the next day or two, but the light was still harsh. This is a minimal crop -- 80% of full frame as presented. Once I figured out how they approach their fishing zone it was easy to position myself, track their approach to lock in the AF, and get them up close as they hover. (Unlike the egrets, they were so focused on their fishing that they paid no attention to me.) Now all I need is the right combination of sun, wind and tide and I'll be all set.
Terns and Tides
