Skimmer at Last Light

[Cathy McEntee]

This was taken last evening shortly before sunset.
Nikon D7000 Nikon 300mm 2.8 with 1.7 tc
ISO 500, 7.1, 1/2000 manual exp
HH from beach
PP in LR3 and CS5

C&C very much appreciated

[Kerry Perkins]

Hi Cathy, really nice BIF shot showing excellent capture technique! The skimmers are really fun to watch and make great subjects. Some things to think about in this image:

The eye is very difficult to get on these birds and you did a good job, but I think a little bit of lightening around the eye and the catchlight would help it stand out more. I like the composition but the bird feels a little tight considering that it is in flight. The red and green channels are blown in the brightest areas, as you can see in this screen capture I made. The color meter software is reading the values in the file, so the monitor is not an issue. You could have saved the whites with just 1/3 stop less light at the time of capture - you could choose ISO 400, f/8, or 1/2500. One last thing, the shoreline cutting through the bird is distracting and points the eye to a slight rotation error. I think you could use a slight CW rotation based on the water line. You are doing really well, keep on shooting and posting!

P.S. - I encourage everyone to use one of these color meters to check images before posting. You can find blown or hot whites easily. See the sticky (are the whites hot?) for more info.

[Jeff Cashdollar]

Cathy,

Kerry's advise is correct - notice the red bill has no detail, that is because it is over saturated; this happens often with male cardinals too. There are two main issues here, one is exposure techs you need to get this right and the second is composition. Regarding the exposure techs, the image has blown whites turn the blinkies on and check the histogram (them make adjustment as needed). Especially shooting manual, make the needed shutter adjustments and dial in the bright areas first. The composition could be stronger, the subject is basically in the middle of the frame and the image is a bit tight IMO. Keep posting you are improving every week.