Laughing Gull at Ambergris Caye

[Richard Stern]

This Laughing gull was one of a flock resting on the wharf in a storm there at the beginning of March, together with some Caspian Terns (of which I posted an image the other day). Although to me it's a less exciting bird, I feel this is a better image than the Caspian Tern I recently posted - more feather detail and less noise.

D300, Tamron 200-500, Exposure time: 1/400 s
F number: 6.3
Exposure program: Aperture priority
ISO speed rating: 1000
Metering mode: Pattern

Richard

[Lana Hays]

Richard
I agree.....less noise with this one. Was the noise primarily from the ISO of 1000 or is this perhaps a big crop or underexposed? I would definitely try some noise reduction on it. I might crop a little more off the bottom. You can have a file size up to about 145KB which might help the image as I'm also seeing some artifacts possibly from the small size jpg.

[Alfred Forns]

Hi Richard Can also add to steam line the image Would crop to and bottom !!! I think the D300 produces gorgeous blues !!!

[Robert Amoruso]

Richard,

As suggested the crop would remove the OOF portion in the FG which is distracting and at the top, reducing it will help to balance the image out with a bottom crop.

[James Salywoda]

Nice shot Richard good details and pretty bg I do think alittlecrop off bottom would improve this already excellent shot.