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Gull Angel
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Gull Angel

by Peter Conway

Gallery: AvianPosted September 2, 2010154 views18 comments
Mark IV, 500mm, ISO 800, 1/4000th, f/9, manual mode, handheld, natural light

I have been traveling quite a bit of late and thus have not posted or commented in a while. Fortunately for me I was on Rainy Lake for several days last week. This is one of my favorite places in the world on the Minnesota Canadian border.

I did a little photography there and this Gull is one I like, the angelic pose fits my mood towards the lake. :smile:

Comments always appreciated. Please take a moment for the larger photo if possible.

Peter

Comments

18 comments
Comment posted by Ron Dudley on September 2, 2010 at 8:42 PM
That's quite the wingspread Peter. Very good exposure control. I like the eye contact, especially at this angle, and the mottled sky. An interesting composition choice.
Registered on March 30, 2007, 437 Posts, 10915 Comments
Comment posted by Ron Bielefeld on September 2, 2010 at 8:49 PM
Very nice Peter. Interested in knowing what crop amount this image is (i.e., total pixels left after cropping vs the 16 million you started with) and if you used any NR on the BG? Thanks.
Registered on December 6, 2008, 360 Posts, 7132 Comments
Comment posted by Peter Conway on September 2, 2010 at 9:25 PM
Ron B,

This is about 50% of the original image size. I routinely run "noise despeckle" on backgrounds. I doubt this image actually benefited much from that however. I did not run any other noise reduction.

Ron, I tried to emphasize the "Mother Mary" pose with the composition. I hope it worked that way. :smile:

Peter
Registered on June 25, 2007, 347 Posts, 3913 Comments
Comment posted by David Haynes on September 2, 2010 at 11:37 PM
Nice capture Pete. I've been absent for a couple of months myself but it's good to be back. Nice wing pose (looks like an orchestra director). Whites are very nice....great head cock. Nicely done Pete. :toast:
Registered on February 20, 2010, 110 Posts, 1511 Comments
Comment posted by KC Choo on September 3, 2010 at 12:31 AM
Love it!
Registered on November 15, 2004, 519 Posts, 8278 Comments
Comment posted by Ákos Lumnitzer on September 3, 2010 at 12:42 AM
Very stunning pose. I like it lots. Well done and looks good for a big crop too.

:toast:
Registered on April 24, 2004, 25 Posts, 510 Comments
Comment posted by Mauro Pasquero on September 3, 2010 at 1:07 AM
Very nice pose, Peter. I like it very much.
Mauro
Registered on January 21, 2010, 650 Posts, 2500 Comments
Comment posted by Brian Gatlin on September 3, 2010 at 8:18 AM
a beauty, Peter. love the way it is hanging in the air, and the turn of the head. excellent exposure.
Registered on March 21, 2009, 202 Posts, 4187 Comments
Comment posted by Wayne Willison on September 3, 2010 at 11:15 AM
Very nice, Peter. Good tones in the bird and also the bg. That sharp, piercing eye sets it off.
Registered on April 10, 2009, 292 Posts, 3967 Comments
Comment posted by Peter Conway on September 3, 2010 at 11:40 AM
One note on crop size. Even at a 50% crop that leaves 8+ million pixels. At a 12 inch print size that yields almost 300dpi.

With all those pixels a 50% crop is very useable. :smile:
Registered on June 25, 2007, 347 Posts, 3913 Comments
Comment posted by Dennis Plank on September 3, 2010 at 12:49 PM
Sweet! Great head turn and eye contact and I love the soaring pose and the partial cloud in the bg. Excellent, Peter. :toast:
Registered on January 28, 2008, 1767 Posts, 23192 Comments
Comment posted by Mia McPherson on September 3, 2010 at 3:52 PM
I like the great pose Peter, the comp you used and I especially like the sky with the clouds in the background.
Registered on June 25, 2007, 491 Posts, 12566 Comments
Comment posted by Keith A Anderson on September 3, 2010 at 3:52 PM
I like this comp and pose very much, Peter. Nice diffused light for great detail in the bird, too. :toast:
Registered on February 13, 2006, 166 Posts, 1818 Comments
Comment posted by Geoffrey Baker on September 3, 2010 at 4:30 PM
Very nice indeed, great pose and exposure is just right :smile:
Well done.

Geoff.
Registered on August 20, 2010, 192 Posts, 980 Comments
Comment posted by Ron McCombe on September 3, 2010 at 4:40 PM
Nice one Peter

I like the pose and the eye detail here

Ron
Registered on November 16, 2009, 190 Posts, 207 Comments
Comment posted by Hali Sowle on September 3, 2010 at 9:53 PM
Great wingspread and exposure Peter, very cool pov and a neat sky to make the bg.
Registered on January 9, 2008, 36 Posts, 582 Comments
Comment posted by Howard Cheek on September 13, 2010 at 8:45 PM
Wonderful POV & I like that head turn flight pose a lot Peter.
Very nice! :toast:
Registered on July 24, 2008, 1201 Posts, 10758 Comments
Comment posted by Angela McCain on September 17, 2010 at 8:14 PM
Just stumbling upon this image today. How lucky for me. Great pose and well done.
Registered on April 19, 2009, 367 Posts, 3589 Comments