What’s Up?
I headed out to La Jolla again on Tuesday morning. Conditions were not great with wind against sun. I thought that I might be headed home quite early but I wound up staying till 9:30 and made a few good images. After working for a while I enjoyed a great nap. Patrick and Robin and I are headed to the cliffs this afternoon for a rare late in the day session at La Jolla. And then dinner somewhere.
The Streak
Today’s blog post marks 144 days in a row with a new educational blog post. Assuming that I will be making the trip to Namibia on April 11, this streak will come to an end soon. As always–and folks have been doing a really great job recently–please remember to use our B&H links for your major gear purchases. For best results use one of our many product-specific links; after clicking on one of those you can continue shopping with all subsequent purchases invisibly tracked to BAA. Your doing so is always greatly appreciated. Please remember: web orders only. Please remember that if you are shopping for items that we carry in the BAA Online Store (as noted in red at the close of this post below) we would appreciate your business.
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This image is another that was created at La Jolla, CA on my first day back in action with the hand held Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens (at 312mm) and the amazing mega mega-pixel Canon EOS 5DS R. ISO 500. Evaluative metering probably about -1/3 stop: 1/500 sec. at f/5.6. Daylight WB. On camera high speed synch fill flash at -2 stops with the Canon Speedlite 600EX-RT. Two rows down and one AF point to the right of the center AF point/AI Servo/Surround/Rear Focus AF as framed was active at the moment of exposure (as is always best when hand holding). Click here to see the latest version of the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see a larger version. Image #1: Western Gull in early morning light |
Sweet Light
When the sun first comes over the distant hill on a clear morning at La Jolla the light is oh so sweet as you can see in each of today’s featured images that were taken only moments apart.
The 100-400 II
Patrick Sparkman and I have used our 1-4 IIs so much since I have gotten here that we have begun calling it “The La Jolla Lens. From birds in flight to tight portraits from sea-scapes to flowers, the lens is simply amazing. And sharp. And the 4-stop IS is insane. If what you are reading here now inspires you to purchase one please do so by clicking on this link: Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens.
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This image too was created at La Jolla, CA on my first day back in action with the hand held Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens (at 330mm) and the amazing mega mega-pixel Canon EOS 5DS R. ISO 500. Evaluative metering probably about -1/3 stop: 1/500 sec. at f/5.6. Daylight WB. On camera high speed synch fill flash at -2 stops with the Canon Speedlite 600EX-RT. Two rows down and one AF point to the right of the center AF point/AI Servo/Surround/Rear Focus AF as framed was active at the moment of exposure (as is always best when hand holding). Click here to see the latest version of the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see a larger version. Image #2: Western Gull in early morning light squabbling with unseen neighbor below |
Comparative Critique
Everyone is invited to do a comparative critique of today’s two images. What are the strengths of each image? What are the weaknesses of each image? Which do you think is the strongest image? Why?
The San Diego Site Guide
I have been pretty much stunned by the quality of the bird photography in San Diego on my March visit. If you own this Site Guide and would like a short primer on the dancing grebes location and the Brandt’s Cormorant colony, please shoot me an e-mail. For most stuff, the Site Guide directions intended for DEC through FEB are still plenty valid.
Whether you are visiting San Diego for photography for the first time or live in the area and have done the pelicans many dozens of times, you will learn a ton by studying the San Diego Site Guide. Why spend days stumbling around when you can know exactly where and when to be depending on the wind direction and sky conditions? In addition to the pelican primer, there is great info on the best beaches for the gorgeous gulls, Marbled Godwit, Lesser Scaup, and Wood and Ring-necked Ducks as well. Along with the down and dirty on the the lower cliffs.
Learn more or purchase your copy here.
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To show your appreciation for my continuing efforts here, we ask, as always, that you get in the habit of using my B&H affiliate links on the right side of the blog for all of your photo and electronics purchases. Please check the availability of all photographic accessories in the BIRDS AS ART Online Store, especially the Mongoose M3.6 tripod heads, Gitzo tripods, Wimberley heads and plates, LensCoats and accessories, and the like. We sell only what I have used, have tested, and can depend on. We will not sell you junk. We know what you need to make creating great images easy and fun. And we are always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail. I just learned that my account was suspended during my absence; it should be up and running by Monday at the latest.
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Typos
In all blog posts and Bulletins, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors. Just be right 🙂
Both images are well lit and well focused. I like # 1 better due to the slightly off centered head and the yellow eyes and beak are contrasted well with the light blue in the background. It also makes me wonder what the bird is thinking at the time. Perhaps where to dine for lunch.
Great work as usual Artie. Really enjoy looking at your images.
Maybe put the tail of #2 onto #1!
I prefer #1. Rather than repeat previous comments, I will just say I find it more dramatic, the bird stands out more against the darker background and the feet and bill are more noticeable. A great portrait. I would happily
hang it on my wall.
#1 Poor head angle, shadow of bill on chest distracts, angle of tail light falloff in shadow fails to define shape of bird, what behavior is bird displaying? – birds eye contact with unseen objective (adversary? food item?), birds back is half in/half out of shadow. Close crop of environment fails to define environment. Needs crop on the left to reposition bird out of dead center, and more foreground.
Nice shot of feet, though. Overall, not a keeper.
#2 Much better visibility of tail and primaries, behavior is of interest although even more than in shot #1, more foreground would be better. Classic head angle not needed here because not a static portrait shot. Bird body now in full light, here the central positioning of bird works.
Clearly the better of the two shots, possibly a keeper.
Way to go! Everyone is doing great so far. We just need more players 🙂
a
I love David Policansky’s comment: ‘I hate when you do this!’
I like Wtlloyd’s comments too. As I wrote mine earlier today, I actually deleted them a couple of times and walked away from the computer, feeling I was being too nit-picky. But then I remembered that this is how you think every time you look at your images. Going thru this exercise with you is truly a gift and so educational. Thank you!
I too will miss the streak.
I hope it’s just on a break while you’re in Namibia. BTW isn’t there internet in Namibia???? 🙂
I like the first one based just on how the bird’s expression looks. Both photos are awesome with good exposure and composition
I like #1 Maybe it’s because it’s #1 but I like the look in the eye…he’s definitely studying something with intent. #2 shows action but if there was something there that he was yacking at would pull more attention #1 just seems to command attention just by his stance and stare. Background, foreground, whitewash etc are the same in both images… Maybe it comes down to the 3rd’s…
BTW you have me wanting the 5DS & 1-4-II…Can I say “I want it”??? If I do I will click from BAA
🙂 Jackie
Wanting a 100-400II and a 5DS R? That’s the plan!
You know where the links are. Where do you live?
artie
Virginia, near Winchester. Yeah, I want it, but I aint’ rich. It will take awhile to get 5,600 in playing money. I’ve borrowed a 400L 5.6, it’s the furthest I’ve looked through and I love seeing the birds and critters in the viewfinder but my images aren’t as tack sharp as I want or would expect. I can see where the flexibility of 1 to 4 would be nice along with the IS… I’m taking lots of pictures and when I have a subject that acts right and I have my S—- together I get something that makes my friends jaw drop… Yes, it is the plan, at least for the lens and some full frame body….I’ve been using a crop…I’d like to see what I can do with a pro type camera & lens.
Keep up the healing…When the streak comes to an end I will miss it…. Jackie
I hate when you do this. 🙂 I prefer image #1 and it’s because of the feet. I just love the feet. Image #2 is terrific also but I find, like many others, that I’d prefer the bird to have more room below. For both images I like the framing provided by the white stripe of guano on the left and the larger patch of guano on the right.
Tough call on these. I would be thrilled to call either of these images my own!
strengths, #1:
framing on the rock, image is well centered, exposure, head, eye and foot detail, black/blue background,
weaknesses, #1:
rump and tail not sharp, nearly blend into dark background, no gonys spot visible
strengths, #2:
action shot, bird is not ‘perfectly centered’, framing on the rock, exposure, head, eye and foot detail, more bill detail than image #1 (gonys spot is visible), mouth open, tongue visible, angle of bird in frame, you can see a little more of the back, rump and tail
weaknesses, #2:
bird is too close to lower edge of the photo. (How would this look in portrait rather than landscape?)
*******all in all, both images are spectacular. Initially I preferred Image 1, but final answer: Image 2!
Man, this is a hard one. I love both pictures. I think I like #2 slightly more, but its awfully close.
I love the setting for both. The gentle curve of the rock frames the bird so nicely. The color of the rock is so rich and lovely. The dark blurred background really highlights the bright white, perfectly exposed head/neck/breast of the gull. I like how the rim of visible white at the tail (more in #2 than #1) gives a frame to the dark wings/back of the bird that might otherwise be a bit too close in color/tone to the background.
What I like more about #1: Head more isolated in the background. Feet both visible. Also like that the vertical whitewash stripes are slightly further from the edge of the frame – they feel a bit crowded in #2.
What I like more about #2: Body position – I like the more visible white band at the base of the tail. I also love the action and open mouth position. I think if it was just very slightly less tightly cropped the bird and vertical whitewash wouldn’t be so crowded with the edge of the frame. Also, I just love the color and shape of that rock and want to see more.
I’d be thrilled with either picture, of course.
I’m prefer the second action packed image, though more room at the bottom would satisfy me.
I’m confused by the exposure though. In bright sunlight, sunny 16 rule would suggest the stated exposures would be at ISO 50. For ISO 500 the full sunny exposure would be 1/2000 at f/8 for a -1/3 stop setting. Am I off the wall? Getting too old; maybe
I am going the opposite of the first two folks and choose the 1st Image . It is a PERFECT portrait … colors, color contrast, and a GORGEOUS Bird … not giving creadance to Master Photography & Image Processing. And, I see action … It’s called ” Stillness.”
Humbling , Artie !
To me, #2 is stronger for these reasons–
diagonal line of the bird’s body
action with bill open
there is no bill shadow on the breast
pluses on both-
sharpness of eyes
whitewash vertical lines frame the image
blue color of the water in background
clean background
composition–the bird making a diagonal line through the center of the semicircle of rock
I should have put composition under #2
Revised:
To me, #2 is stronger for these reasons–
diagonal line of the bird’s body
action with bill open
there is no bill shadow on the breast
composition–the bird making a diagonal line through the center of the semicircle of rock
pluses on both-
sharpness of eyes
whitewash vertical lines frame the image
blue color of the water in background
clean background
I prefer #2 because it shows behavior and makes the viewer wonder what the gull is squawking at. I’d prefer to see a bit more space for the bird to look into at the bottom; it feels like the bird’s bill is going to hit the edge of the picture.
I like both images, but the second is the best for two reasons:
1. It shows the gull in action. I personally like to see action (gesturing as some call it) from our wildlife images when possible.
2. Although the image is mostly centered, I think it works here because the dip in the rock causes leading lines to make our eyes flow bounce up and down the dip and focus on the bird.
Matt, I think that you have #1 and #2 confused 🙂
a