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Thread: Flock O' Gulls

  1. #1
    PhotoRob's Avatar
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    Flock O' Gulls

    I was shooting with a 24mm (crop sensor pushes that out to about 35mm) when a small prop. plane scared up this rather large flock near the waterline; had about 3 seconds to turn and fire...

    Flock O' Gulls

  2. #2

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    Re: Flock O' Gulls

    For 3 seconds you did a bang up job catching this image Robert. It is a very chaotic scene but it somehow works for me.

  3. #3

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    Re: Flock O' Gulls

    That is not a flock, that is an explosion.

    Well caught.

    I was trying for something similar the other day, but swans kept getting in the way.

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    Re: Flock O' Gulls

    Very nice, Robert! If you have more foreground displaying shadows (not likely if I'm properly understanding the direction of the light), they might add even more drama to an already dramatic photo.

  5. #5
    PhotoRob's Avatar
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    Re: Flock O' Gulls

    Quote Originally Posted by Mike Buckley View Post
    Very nice, Robert! If you have more foreground displaying shadows (not likely if I'm properly understanding the direction of the light), they might add even more drama to an already dramatic photo.
    Thanks Mike, I see what you mean - here's the shot with more foreground, I do like it better than the original:

    Flock O' Gulls

    ( Click for a better view )
    Last edited by PhotoRob; 17th February 2013 at 02:37 AM.

  6. #6
    PhotoRob's Avatar
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    Re: Flock O' Gulls

    Quote Originally Posted by Bobobird View Post
    That is not a flock, that is an explosion.

    Well caught.

    I was trying for something similar the other day, but swans kept getting in the way.
    Thanks Bobo!

  7. #7
    PhotoRob's Avatar
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    Re: Flock O' Gulls

    Quote Originally Posted by ShaneS View Post
    For 3 seconds you did a bang up job catching this image Robert. It is a very chaotic scene but it somehow works for me.
    Thanks Shane, appreciate the feedback. It's certainly not my usual fare, very much an opportunity shot...

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    Re: Flock O' Gulls

    Looking at your image of gulls reminded me of one that I took a few years ago:-
    Flock O' Gulls

    then saw the close formation flying at the bottom
    Flock O' Gulls

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    Re: Flock O' Gulls

    Those new foreground shadows really do make a difference, Rob. Now try just one more thing to see if you like it: Crop the top to just barely above the highest wing tip on the left. Doing so will crop it well below the wing tip on the far right.

  10. #10
    PhotoRob's Avatar
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    Re: Flock O' Gulls

    Quote Originally Posted by Mike Buckley View Post
    Those new foreground shadows really do make a difference, Rob. Now try just one more thing to see if you like it: Crop the top to just barely above the highest wing tip on the left. Doing so will crop it well below the wing tip on the far right.
    Thanks Mike! I tried to use the wing on the far left as the ceiling and it felt too cramped, so I topped it out using the right gull's wing as a guide:

    Flock O' Gulls

    ( Click for a better view )

    I went back through the shots of this event, and from the time the birds starting to take off to when they were past me was actually only 1 second - I have one more 'in the thick of it' that I'm going to work on and post, maybe we'll get to a better result. Thanks for your help!

  11. #11

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    Re: Flock O' Gulls

    That crop also works for me, Rob. However, consider toning down the bright areas of the clouds in the top left area, as they distract from the birds.

    The more I look at this photo, the more I like it. Very, very well done!

  12. #12

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    Re: Flock O' Gulls

    This is very cool shot

  13. #13
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    Re: Flock O' Gulls

    Thanks for posting your gull shots Ken, very cool!

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    Re: Flock O' Gulls

    Looks like a shot from DeSoto? Excellent action and like the conversion to B&W ! .. different !!

  15. #15
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    Re: Flock O' Gulls

    Quote Originally Posted by Aforns View Post
    Looks like a shot from DeSoto? Excellent action and like the conversion to B&W ! .. different !!
    Yes, North Beach. How could you tell? If you say you recognize one of the birds from that area I'll be very impressed!

  16. #16
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    Re: Flock O' Gulls

    I like the revision in post #5 the best. This is really great and I think it's hard to pull off a large flock shot. If it were mine, I'd crop off the right side just behind the tail of the lowest bird. Still gives the lead bird a little room to fly in to but gets the half bird out of the foreground. This is a very MINOR gripe and may or may not really improve it. It's just for me the half bird was the first thing I saw...

    Edit: Just noticed that if you do that, it takes most of the bird out that you were using to determine the amount of sky so you could then take out more sky if you want. Seems to bring focus down some...

  17. #17
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    Re: Flock O' Gulls

    Fantastic shot. This REALLY works well for me. It looks even more amazing at full size (when I hit the "F" key on my keyboard)

  18. #18
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    Re: Flock O' Gulls

    Quote Originally Posted by terrib View Post
    I like the revision in post #5 the best. This is really great and I think it's hard to pull off a large flock shot. If it were mine, I'd crop off the right side just behind the tail of the lowest bird. Still gives the lead bird a little room to fly in to but gets the half bird out of the foreground. This is a very MINOR gripe and may or may not really improve it. It's just for me the half bird was the first thing I saw...

    Edit: Just noticed that if you do that, it takes most of the bird out that you were using to determine the amount of sky so you could then take out more sky if you want. Seems to bring focus down some...
    Thanks Terri, I didn't even think to try trimming the right side, I agree that's an excellent idea! Will certainly give that a try

  19. #19
    PhotoRob's Avatar
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    Re: Flock O' Gulls

    Quote Originally Posted by flyingSquirrel View Post
    Fantastic shot. This REALLY works well for me. It looks even more amazing at full size (when I hit the "F" key on my keyboard)
    Thanks Matt, I appreciate the feedback! The posts are about 1/8 the native resolution, so you can image how the original really pops...

  20. #20
    PhotoRob's Avatar
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    Re: Flock O' Gulls

    Pic #2, fraction of a second later, little less concentration of birds:

    Flock O' Gulls

    (click for a better view)

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