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Northern Gannets


Northern Gannets
Photo Information
Copyright: Rene Lortie (rlortie) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 295 W: 59 N: 593] (2058)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2004-08-20
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon EOS 10D, Canon EF100-400 IS L
Exposure: f/5.6, 1/1000 seconds
Details: Tripod: Yes
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Aquatic Birds 2 - Aves Acuáticas 2, Gannets Of The World, Interacting birds, !Masks [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2004-12-20 19:21
Viewed: 1514
Favorites: 1 [view]
Points: 46
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
The Gannet frequents the open waters of the Gulf of St. Lawrence from late March until November.

This photo was taken on Ile Bonaventure near Percé, on the Gaspe Peninsula.

The main prey species of Gannets nesting in the Gulf of St. Lawrence are Atlantic Mackerel, Atlantic Herring, American Sand Lance and sometimes Capelin. At the end of the breeding season, the birds head down the U.S. east coast to Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to winter.

The largest colony is on Île Bonaventure, which counted 32 000 pairs in 1994. Numbers in the colony is currently rising.

When one bird returns to a nest site, after fishing, it is greeted by its mate. Both birds raise their heads and cross bills, which they clash together like swords, then bow to each other with wings and tails raised. This is followed by mutual preening of the head and neck. Usually the bird who has been relieved at the nest will pick up sticks or seaweed to present to its mate. Finally, the departing bird stands with head and neck extended straight up and wings raised over the back, then launches itself into the air.

description 35-40" (89-102 cm). Adult white with black wing tips; head tinged with orange-buff. Long pointed tail and wings. Immature dark gray, variously speckled and patterned with white, depending on age. Alternately flaps and glides in flight; plunge dives when feeding. The gleaming white of the adult is visible at great distances.

Cropped photo (75%) and sharpened using FM Intellisharpen action in PS.

More of my Gannets can be found here:
Northern Gannets-Ile Bonaventure
Mazer, AdrianW, milloup, RAP, netfalls, Signal-Womb, mogens-j, extramundi, Luc, Robbrown has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • Mazer Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Note Writer [C: 67 W: 3 N: 34] (104)
  • [2004-12-20 20:42]

Stunning capture. i love the detail and sharpness of the image and this is making me hang out more for my long lens to turn up. With my 200mm L lens its hard to get close to these guys to get a capture like this.

Thanks for the intresting note and thanks for sharing.

It is a shame this shot did not get the score it is really worthed and I want you to know I strongly believe this is one superb image, take it from one guy thats been doing this for a while ! I am plannning sometime this year a trip hoping to get such shots on a secluded island off the coast of Baja , Mexico where are giant maritime aviary colonies. Truely a wonderful shot again going straight on my favourites !

Great shot Rene.
Excellent sharpness, very good pose, compositon and colours.
And a very good note too.
Great work.
Welcome to TN.

Gorgeous capture, striking posture and interaction, beautiful colours, including excellent handling of the whites, a beautiful start here on TN, welcome ;-))

This is a nice moment, and you've captured it well! Nice crop and composition.
Good job!

  • Great 
  • RAP Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2524 W: 345 N: 2373] (7405)
  • [2004-12-21 5:49]

Composition: ****
Sharpness: ****
Color: ****
DOF: ****
POV: ****
Note: ***

Bienvenido a TN Rene.
Excelente primera entrega con gran composicion y excelente manejo de los tonos blancos.

TrekNature se construye día a día con la participación de todos los usuarios.
Publicando sus imágenes, pero también criticando los trabajos de los demás.
Cada uno con sus conocimientos, palabras o poder de síntesis, siempre con comentarios constructivos.
Sin esa participación activa de todos, este sitio no tiene futuro... y sólo depende de nosotros.

----------------------------------------------------------

Welcome to TN Rene.
Excellent first post with great composition and excellent handling of the white tones.

TrekNature is constructed day to day with the participation of all the users.
Publishing your images, but also criticizing the works of the others.
Each one with its knowledge, words or power of synthesis, always with constructive commentaries.
Without that active participation of all, this site does not have future... and it only depends on us.

Composition: ***
Sharpness: ****
Color: ****
DOF: ****
POV: ****
Note: ****

I would clone-out the others in BG.
Very well done.
TFS.

Nice sharp clear image, colours are good, exposure is spot on. Good photo

A very nice first post Rene. Fantastic capture. Great pose, composition and excellent exposure on the whites showing nice detail. Well presented and good note. Yes welcome to TN.

Fantastic,fantastic,fantastic.

Welcome to TN, Rene.
Outstanding composition to begin. Very beautiful and controlled picture for this excellent subjects. They make a strong pic, with this strange beauty they have.
The colour is nice but BG colour seems a bit postprocessed, I was surprised to read in you note, you did not postprocess colours.
Hope to see more HQ photos like this soon!

Great shot! You've captured this pair of Gannets very nicely, I particularly like their pose. DOF is well controlled, and the exposure is spot on - always a challenge for contrasty subjects like these particularly on digital. That said I feel it may be a little too contrasty, I'd consider playing with the Shadows/Highlights option in PS (or using a Contrast Masking technique) to accentuate the highlight detail a bit more. Useful note too. Excellent capture :-D

Welcome to TrekNature!

  • Great 
  • Luc Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2058 W: 315 N: 4404] (14713)
  • [2004-12-22 0:20]

Excellente photo, René. Je suis allé voir ta gallerie sur PBase. Elles sont vraiment superbes. On voit que tu as un grand talent pour la photo. Je crois que tu peux nous en apprendre plus qu'inversement. Je ne peux que te remercier d'être présent ici sur TN. Si tous les nouveaux arrivés présentaient des oeuvres semblables accompagnées de notes aussi élaborées, on ne pourrait que se régaler davantage.
Merci et bienvenue sur TN.
Tes Fous de Bassan sont admirables. Rien à redire.

Welcome on TN Rene and what an amazing first post of these most beautiful birds. Excellent handling of the dof and light showing a lot of details in the plumage. The pose is absolutely adorable - Excellent capture.

  • Great 
  • japie Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1814 W: 100 N: 1904] (5187)
  • [2004-12-23 17:09]

This is a real beauty. The sharpness is superb and I like the eye contact.

Very well done and thanks for posting.

Another very amazing and interesting capture, Rene. I'm very impressed with the uniqueness of your photos and the quality in capturing animals doing engaging things!

Well Rene you set a great standard with this one again I find you have post an image the I have not seen better, there is so much detail in the whites so hard to do in digital. you also addd notes of great detail, maybe a few more details about how you obtained the shot so we can go copy you, TFS

  • Great 
  • radz Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 615 W: 11 N: 625] (3352)
  • [2004-12-26 23:11]

are they kissing or whispering :).Very well composed shot,looks like mirror image.
Wonderful shot.

This shot is riveting! Wonderful composition, nearly a mirror image. Your note was very interesting, too. What a fascinating array of birds and animals you've photographed - I look forward to viewing more.

  • Great 
  • livios Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2306 W: 324 N: 4306] (16856)
  • [2005-01-05 20:06]

Rene, what a great moment you captured. Nice poses, perfect sharpness and adequate BG. I have the feeling they're rather funny, and that's another great point about your photo.

  • Great 
  • manyee Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3073 W: 232 N: 5866] (19730)
  • [2005-04-10 19:36]

That is a beautiful picture, Rene. First of all we do not have gannets in California, so that is an exotic bird for us. You captured this pair in a great pose and with great detail. The colors scheme is very pleasing. Great composition. : )

Fantastic photo - the gannets almost look as though they were made of plastic; the color is so extraordinary. Beautiful shot!

Alli

  • Great 
  • rimas Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 158 W: 3 N: 553] (3857)
  • [2005-10-31 3:37]

Ecxellent shot. Beautiful colors and composition. The exposure is perfect, and you certainly caught them in an interesting moment.
Great job.

  • Great 
  • ddg Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 881 W: 23 N: 927] (4997)
  • [2006-04-16 2:54]

Rene bonjour, pour une premiére photo sur TN ce fut une reussite!! Je suis allé à Percé en 1977!! je n'ai jamais vu autant de colonies d'oiseaux sur les rebords des rochers!! La composition de votre photo est splendide les couleurs éclatantes. Joli cadrage. Félicitations, Didier.

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