Headed Home/Loving my 5D Mark III

[Arthur Morris]

It was super-windy every afternoon with gusts over 50mph on Sunday and Wednesday. This Western Gull was photographed with the tripod-mounted Canon 800mm f/5.6L S lens and the Canon EOS-5D Mark III. ISO 400. Evaluative metering -1/3 stop: 1/3200 sec. at f/5.6.

Don't be shy; all honest comments welcome.

I fly to Orlando oh-dark hundred tomorrow.

[Paul Lagasi]

Wow..really nice Gull, lovely exposure, open wings, no lost details in the whites, tack sharp...DOF is wild for 5.6. Where did you take this, Artie?

[gail bisson]

When I win a million dollars I am going to buy myself an 800mm! That lens ( in your hands) is so sharp and clear. The whites are awesome against the dark blue rolling sea. I know the gull is riding down a wave but I would still do a bit of CW rotation. Really like the underwing detail of the near wing and am wondering if you have a shot with a full upward wing stretch?
The head merge with the wing is a bit of a nit but because it contrasts so sharply against the wing you can get away with it.

Gail

[Cheryl Arena Molennor]

Great contrast of the deep blues and the white. I really like the deep stormy look to the water. I'm thinkin I feel the need for rotation as well.

[adrian dancy]

Techs spot on ...I am not irked by the gulls position in any way ...all looks fine to me and a very pleasing image at that.

[Robert Holguin]

Wonderful shot. Excellent pose, whites exposed perfectly, love the waves, and great comp.
Well done.

[Arthur Morris]

Wow..really nice Gull, lovely exposure, open wings, no lost details in the whites, tack sharp...DOF is wild for 5.6. Where did you take this, Artie?

Thanks Paul. It was at a pond on Morro Strand Beach in Morro Bay, CA, George Lepp's old haunts. Hundreds of gulls bath there every afternoon. Along with a few large shorebirds on occasion.

ps: A picture is worth a thousand words!

[Grace Scalzo]

Wonderful depth of color and detail . I would not change a thing about this image.

[Arthur Morris]

When I win a million dollars I am going to buy myself an 800mm! That lens ( in your hands) is so sharp and clear. The whites are awesome against the dark blue rolling sea. I know the gull is riding down a wave but I would still do a bit of CW rotation. Really like the underwing detail of the near wing and am wondering if you have a shot with a full upward wing stretch? The head merge with the wing is a bit of a nit but because it contrasts so sharply against the wing you can get away with it. Gail

No rotation for me. I photographed at this pond every afternoon for six days so I have tons of after bath flapping images, landing images, bathing image, running on the water images, and drinking while landing images.

[Arthur Morris]

Wonderful depth of color and detail . I would not change a thing about this image.

Thanks Grace. I agree. But I did move the bird forward a few inches in the frame using techniques from Robert O'Toole's APTATS II CD.

[Grace Scalzo]

So I will re-phrase. I would not change a thing about this image, as presented. Great work with the edit, it looks flawless to me.

[arash_hazeghi]

nice Artie, too bad you didn't come up here for avocets.

[Kaustubh Deshpande]

Artie, I think the stormy sea is the best part here...loved the contrast. Terrific shot as always.

agree with Arash...Avocets at the Palo Alto Baylands are indeed awesome. Last year, in two evenings, I got many keepers with my modest gear. You would have had a blast there making head shots with the 800mm.

[Arthur Morris]

Thanks guys. Avocets would have been nice. It was a stormy pond not a stormy sea!