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Just Passing By


Just Passing By
Photo Information
Copyright: John Plumb (JPlumb) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 637 W: 166 N: 889] (2884)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-10-19
Categories: Birds
Camera: Nikon D200, NIKKOR AF-S 18-200mm F3.5-5.6 ED DX VR, Optex 77mm Circular Polariser
Exposure: f/8, 1/350 seconds
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2008-02-13 19:09
Viewed: 898
Points: 32
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
This is a Pacific Gull (Larus pacificus). The adult is a white bird, with yellow bill and a red patch on the end, The upper wings are black and it has yellow legs with webbed feet. This one doesn’t match that description because it’s a juvenile, probably a couple of years old. It won’t be as good looking as its mom or dad for another couple of years.

They are a large, intelligent, coastal bird that typically feeds on crustaceans, crabs and sea urhins, sometimes dropping them from a height onto rocks to crack them open. They also feed on nestlings.

These gulls breed in scattered single pairs or small, loose colonies on high points on headlands or islands. Both sexes build the nest with the female doing most of the incubation while the male forages for food and stands guard near the nest.

Much of this from: http://www.birdsaustralia.com.au/cockatoo/pacificgull.html and
http://birdsinbackyards.net/finder/display.cfm?id=249
ID from: Simpson K. and Day N. (2004), Field Guide to the Birds of Australia, Penguin Books, Camberwell.

I was lucky with this one. He actually came to me. I was walking down the beach at St. Kilda shortly after taking my Cormorant shot, when he flew over head. Exposure was already set; I had merely to focus and shoot.

Workflow for this shot was as follows:
The shoot – shot in Raw with Jpeg reference (200 mm ISO 400 f8 1/350)
NEF file adjusted for exposure and shadow, and vignetting
Adjusted levels – black and white points – also I did a compare back with the original jpeg, and brought the opacity back to 80% to better match the original sky
Adjusted curves for contrast - I locked the sky tones so they couldn’t move
Burned and Dodged with overlay layer (5-10% opacity black and white brush)
Added saturation layer +15 to master
Saved as a tiff
For this post, cropped for position, resized, selected on sky and reduced noise - created a new layer, inversed selection, sharpened bird and masked down edges with 70% opacity black brush), framed and saved as a jpeg
rousettus, rcrick, jusninasirun, Jamesp, inked, JoseMiguel, mlines, pierrefonds, mvdisco has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To jusninasirun: Dire StraitsJPlumb 1 02-14 05:55
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Critiques [Translate]

Hi John,
a good capture of young gull. Splendid colors on BG, nicely contrasted with dark plumage. POV and composition very nice. frame also. Thanks. best wishes
Ahmet

  • Great 
  • rcrick Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 713 W: 36 N: 1554] (5001)
  • [2008-02-13 19:49]

Hey John,
Great shot mate, love the lighting on this just beautiful, superb detail, perfect blue sky, all the best Cheers Rick :)

  • Great 
  • Mana Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1899 W: 36 N: 5579] (18518)
  • [2008-02-13 19:50]

Hi John,
I will be back with a proper critique.
Sumon

  • Great 
  • Jamesp Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1351 W: 0 N: 5494] (16522)
  • [2008-02-13 23:46]

Hi John

Good action shot. The gull stands out well against the BG. Good framing and exposure.

James

  • Great 
  • inked Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 142 W: 0 N: 248] (769)
  • [2008-02-14 0:33]

hi John,
great shot of this gull in flight captured. great lighting and well captured showing the underwing color. nice blue sky bg makes the gull really stand out and the diagonal pov like you've gotten here always makes for a nice bird in-flight composition. well done and tfs
Gethin

Hello John,

What a nice meeting. We are neighbors today. I was away for a while and sure glad to be back here.

I am fascinated by your clean shots at birds. You have constantly posting excellent sharpness and this one in flight with full spread wings. The tinge of light from the back sets the vibrancy of this bird against that spotless blue sky. Well done for a superb capture and pleasant looking frame.


Regards,
Jusni

p/s: I'm glad that you find Dire Straits rather interesting. I enjoyed listening to the first two albums best and still have both copies in mastered-recording LP's.

Hi John,
A very good pose!
I like the sunny image and great in flight capture.
Details on the bird's plumage are very clear and sharp.
Well done and thanks for share it.
My best regards,
JM

  • Great 
  • pvs Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1168 W: 261 N: 3035] (13835)
  • [2008-02-14 8:34]

Hi John,

A nice colored capture with prety good sharpness,I like the POV,against the blue it looks great,tfs

Paul

  • Great 
  • mlines Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 539 W: 24 N: 596] (2870)
  • [2008-02-14 16:17]

Hi John, Beautiful blue sky backdrop helps make this a winner. Good size and clarity of the wings is excellent. Its not easy to get such a good shot as this. Good work. TFS. Murray.

  • Great 
  • demeve Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 604 W: 11 N: 1631] (5995)
  • [2008-02-15 13:37]

Hello John,
Beautiful Gull, you capture it very well, the had is a
little out of focus due to the Gull's quickness I presume
great POV and composition.. Well done

Everton

  • Great 
  • EOSF1 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1381 W: 126 N: 5246] (23469)
  • [2008-02-15 14:48]

Hello John, very nice inflight shot of this Gull, great exposure, good details and great composition, thanks!

Mario

  • Great 
  • arfer Gold Star Critiquer [C: 2731 W: 0 N: 0] (0)
  • [2008-02-17 19:41]

Hello John

A lovely in flight capture of this Pacific Gull.
The placement in the frame is very good.
What a wonderful blue sky as a backdrop.
The plumage shows well.
TFS

Rob

Hi John,
Grandiose, impressionnnat vu des airs ainsi, belles couleurs et beaux détails.
Bravo
Marie

Hi John,

The Pacific Gull in flight is impressive. The photo is clear and precise. The point of view is showing the details and colors of the bird. The subject is well framed. Have a nice day.

Pierre

  • Great 
  • lizzie Gold Star Critiquer [C: 207 W: 0 N: 605] (2855)
  • [2008-02-19 13:56]

Hi John,

Good in-flight shot, nice vivid colours on the gull, she looks good against this blue sky. Well done!

Hi John,
Beautiful capture on air of this young seagull, excellent sharpness and colors, a well taken picture and done, Très jolie photo.
Mes salutations,
Michel

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