Fulmar

[Ollokot]

Not overly happy with this,whether it's the initial shot or the pp.Your thoughts and c&c most welcome.




Best Wishes Pat

[MiniChris]

A little blown out on the gull's right side (our left). I copied your image and gave it a tighter crop, added some sharpening and did a layer mask for the blown out area and painted in two very light values I found at the very edge - one a very pale mauve and the other a very pale blue-grey to try and offset some of the intensity in the white...

You might want to do a spot meter closer to the bright area and adjust for the darks in either aperture or shutter and the rest in PP.

[Geoff F]

Fulmars are strange looking birds aren't they, Pat. I always think that they were produced from all the left over parts!

From that angle, I suspect that you were on to a loser from the start. You have managed to avoid over exposing the while areas but that is causing problems with the shadows. Which is a pity because you have a good head image there.

Something along the lines of Chris's edit is about all that you can do. Or as a total alternative option, crop tighter and turn it into just a 'head and shoulders' shot.

When I was fishing for a living we would get a few fulmars coming very close to the boat to feed on scraps of bait. And I took a few snaps of them having a 'tug of war' with the larger herring gulls over scraps of fish. Surprisingly, the fulmars usually won!

[Ollokot]

Hi Chris,thank you for your comments,I will have to take it more steady in future and take more care with exsposure,I'll have to get more practice in and after that more practice.The next morning I will get on site early before the sun gets to high and harsh.

Geoff,
Being an ex fisherman myself I used to love to see the Fulmars come alongside,as you say they always put up a good fight for scraps of fish and and never lost out to the larger gulls.I found them to be very partial to the livers of fish and would (when I got the chance) often cut up the liver and feed them so I could watch their antics and look into their deep dark eyes.

Best Wishes Pat.

[Geoff F]

Pat, Here is a Fulmar & Herring Gull tussle from my fishing days. Maybe not a perfect photo but I think it nicely demonstrates the situation.



And like you, I used to break up some scraps for the fulmars which cannot take the larger pieces. And the same went for shearwaters.

Plus the Great Black-backed Gull which always sat on the foredeck and took scraps from my hand. But unfortunately, economics and back problems . . .

[Ollokot]

Hi Geoff,

Your photo brought back pleasant memories of watching the birds on a nice fine day.
As to the fishing an injury to my left wrist finished my days on the larger vessels,fished inshore then for a few years but with the ever worsening wrist and economics that came to an end.Worked ashore for a while then the country got into a real mess and I have been out of work now for nigh on two years and not much prospects for the future.

Best Wishes Pat.

[Peter Ryan]

Hi PAt,

I do like the pose on the Fulmer, nice capture. Exposure is one thing to watch and filling the frame is another but I think your shot is a bit too full. The bird needs a little bit more room to breath in the frame, not much just a bit more, particulaly on the bottom.

[Ollokot]

Hi Peter,

Here is another shot from the same day after some PP,your thoughts would be more than welcome,




Best Wishes,
Pat.

[Dave Humphries]

Hi Peter,

Here is another shot from the same day, after some PP, your thoughts would be more than welcome,

Hi Pat,

Are my thoughts any good?

I like this, but I would crop 20% off the right (perhaps make it square)

I would suggest showing a bit more on the left, but it looks like that might bring in something worse into the composition, so squaring it will do nicely.

My first thought when I saw it was; "I wish I'd shot that".

Cheers,

[Donald]

My first thought when I saw it was; "I wish I'd shot that".

Indeed, that is a very good one. Nailed the exposure beautifully.

I agree with Dave's comments re composition.

[Peter Ryan]

Hi Peter,

Here is another shot from the same day after some PP,your thoughts would be more than welcome,




Best Wishes,
Pat.

Very nice Pat. I agree a square frame would balance the shot as the bird is looking left while the most negative space is on the right.