JFK #1

[Arthur Morris]

After I left Panama I flew to Orlando and continued that same day to NYC where I met three nice ladies, all repeat customers, for the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge IPT. (All three were IPT veterans and one was BPN's very own Nicki Gywnn-Jones.) JBWR was pretty poor so we spent a lot of time at Nickerson before the tidal flooding. This image was made on the first Monday morning after the flooding. It was fun. I had to wade through about 300 yards of water that came just to the bottom of my pants pockets.

This image was created with the handheld Canon 400mm f/4L DO lens and the EOS-1D MIII. ISO 500. Evaluative metering +1 2/3 stops off the low blue sky: 1/800 sec. at f/6.3 in Manual mode. 45-point AF.

I sat on the wet sand to eliminate potential merges between the landing birds and the line of the beach.

This one needed big time rotation and the removal of a post from the frame.

[Aidan Briggs]

Doesn't get much better. Great wing position, HA, light, exposure, and sharpness. Great prey item too. Would love to go there someday.

P.S. The NANPA thing is completely finished.

[Arthur Morris]

Thanks Aidan. Nickerson Beach is a killer-good spot but I am worried about the colonies there for next year as half of the colony was covered with more than 2 feet of new sand in the storm and lots of vegetated areas were destroyed. I hope that most of that stuff grows back next spring.... The birds need the vegeatation for places to hide and for shade.

[Scott Frye]

I like to see detail in the black eye coming from the black head. Great detail in the feathers under the wing.

[Axel Hildebrandt]

I like the light, wing position and the fish adds to it. Let's hope they will return next year, it's great to have them within driving distance.

[Glenda Simmons]

Amazing! To see the black eye on that black head, so clearly. The fish was a nice added bonus.

[Harshad Barve]

Guruji
This is fantastic shot ,great expo , compo and fish
IMHO that sand patch in bottom adding so much
TFS

[Lorant Voros]

Very nice. I don't think I have seen many images of skimmers in fight with a fish. Nice pose, like the BG mixed with the sand and sky and the beautiful light. Eye is very nicely visible and the detail is good all over. Congratulations.

[Kiran Poonacha]

Nice to see this with a catch guru.. loved the light, the two tone Bg looks good, great eye contact and good wing pose too.. congrats..

[colincarter]

great shot Arthur, the pose and the composition are superb.

I saw black skimmers for the first time when i visited Jetty Park in Florida back in March.

best wishes

Colin.

[Manos Papadomanolakis]

I really like the two tones of the bg and the beautiful eye contact!!!

[Nicki Gwynn Jones]

Very lovely - happy memories...

[Stuart Bowie]

Excellent exposure Artie, and I like the flying posture. Good idea to get down so as not to merge any birds with the beach. Did I say this was sharp, and the fish a bonus. Well captured.

[David Fletcher]

This is lovely Arthur. Tack sharp, good light quality, interesting bg and dinner a bonus. Way to go.

[Simon Bennett]

I like the interesting flight perspective with the birdheading your way, along with the head position, fish and glowing red. Spot-on exposure too.

[Arthur Morris]

Here is the original capture. I remember pressing the shutter button immediately after the bird cleared the signpost knowing that a Quick Mask or two (and some big time image rotation!) would save the day. With film I would never have pressed the shutter button.

[Harshad Barve]

Guruji
Amazing post processing skills