Actually these puffins were billing, a part of the courtship ritual in which they smack bills very rapidly. I had posted another one of the same behavior in ETL a few days ago but didn't have the same dof on that one. The angle is also different.
Canon 7D
70-200 II @ 175mm
1/500
f8
ISO 200
EC -.33
HH from blind, cropped for comp, bg cleaned up, levels, curves, selective dodging and burning, and sharpened in CS5.
These guys are so fun, natural clowns and so photogenic.
At this range, this is a tough shot to get enough DOF, and the large OOF back of the front bird can be a bit distracting. I like the interaction, with just enough of the front birds eye showing to work.
In a perfect world, a shot with them more parallel to the sensor would be easier to pull off because of the DOF issue.
The whites on the face look a bit grey, but I haven't seen these guys in person, so perhaps that is just it. I know they must be an exposure challenge like my loons with the large contrasting areas of dark and light.
I wish the eye on the back bird was a bit more distinct. It almost looks like the nictitating membrane is closed.
Thanks Randy. The cheeks are slightly grey not white like the body. I have some with them more parallel to the sensor but was going for a bit more intimate feel here. I toyed with a more pano type crop which might deal a bit better with the distraction of the oof front bird. I do think the membrane was closed. This was taken on Machias Seal Island off of Cutler, Maine.
Might think about a vertical crop to eliminate most of the oof back of the Puffin in the front. Other comments above seem very valid and might improve this image. it is worth the effort.
Hi Rachel,
I enjoy your series on Antlantic Puffins.
This is an other great picture of them close range.
I plan to take a 70-200 f4.0 L IS and might take a 300 f2.8 L IS with me and hoping for as good shots as yours in July.
Thanks Joe and Karl. Here's the pano crop I was toying with. WDYT? It's a bit more crop than I am usually comfortable with. Karl - those lenses should be fine. It's an amazing experience and I'm sure you'll get great shots.
Hi Rachel, well done for trying something different - its always a challenge to find out if its going to work or not. Well, your repost does the trick, and I like how you have exposed their heads. It does look like the nictitating membrane is closed.
Love the repost, solves the problem perfectly. Nice behavior image, might you have any more in the series without the membrane closed? I'm fine with it as is for a behavior image, but for most viewers, I feel like it diminishes the appeal somewhat.
Thanks Dan, Laurie, Stuart and Grace. Grace - although I do have one where the membrane isn't closed, this has a much better head position and expression. Shortly after I took this one a third puffin wandered in and obscured most of the view. Nature proving once again, it's the boss.
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