Falkland Islands - Volunteer Point on East Falkland Island - 2nd Image

[Claude Ostfeld]

This is the second image of a King Penguin that I have posted here.

I am repeating the background information for the benefit of those of you that did not see my previous image. I have about 1000 slides taken at Volunteer Point.

The King Penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus) is the second largest species of penguin standing erect at about 3.0 ft (90 cm) and can weigh 24 to 35 lbs (11 to 16 kg). The Emperor Penguin (found only in Antarctica) is taller and heavier.

King Penguins eat small fish and squid. They dive normally to depths of around 330 ft (100 mt) but have been tracked to depths of over 1000 ft (345 mt).

King Penguins breed on the subantarctic islands at the northern reaches of Antarctica such as South Georgia, Macquerie and the Falklands (where they live near the beach area at Volunteer Point on East Falkland Island). The total population is thought to be over 2.23 million pairs. Once you have heard the racket that thousands of these birds make from dawn until dusk you'll never forget it.

Falkland Islands - Volunteer Point on East Falkland

Nikon F100, Kodak Ektachrome E200, 80-200 IF-ED F2.8D AF-S - Coolpix 5000 scanner.

[Joe Brown]

I find the head angle of bird in the bg behind the bird in focus attracts my attention. The hot spot upper right grabs my eye as well. If the bg was more symmetrical and patterned I think it would be more better.
Unfortunately there is no glint in the eyes of the bird in front.

I like how the bird in sharp focus seems to jumps out of the shot. The colours are very nice.

Joe

[George Cottay]

The quality of the shot and the scan combine to put a fine image on the screen.

[Claude Ostfeld]

Thank you both Joe and George.

I have never seen true "glint" in the eyes of King Penguins in other peoples' images nor during the 5 hours I spent at Volunteer Point. More often than not you can't see their eyes at all because their eyes are deeper set than those of other birds and their darkish color "blends" with their blue/black head plumage. I have uploaded another image that other forum members helped me re process after I re scanned it.

(http://www.birdphotographers.net/for...oint-Falklands)

If you then proceed to my revised post of yesterday at 8:03 PM you'll see the eye and the iris are clearly visible but that is about as good as you will get for King Penguins.

I appreciate the fact that bokeh blurry effect made by other Kings in the background may not be everybody's cup of tea but I chose this picture precisely for that reason. King Penguins are generally gregarious so you rarely see one alone. They live in huge colonies (this one had over 500 breeding pairs).

[George Cottay]

I appreciate the fact that bokeh blurry effect made by other Kings in the background may not be everybody's cup of tea but I chose this picture precisely for that reason. King Penguins are generally gregarious so you rarely see one alone. They live in huge colonies (this one had over 500 breeding pairs).

For me, the background works to make a bird picture into a bird art picture. The position and oof blur of the other birds are about perfect.