Dolphin Play w/REPOST

Gallery: WildlifePosted March 9, 2012283 views18 comments

I don't get to post here much as we have no lions tigers or bears (well maybe bears) here in Fl. I need to get out more. I was driving along the causeway here looking for grebes when i spotted these dolphins playing. I was so excited to see them jumping out of the water. Small aperture due to shooting the group but it worked for me here.
Camera Model Canon EOS-1D Mark III
Shooting Mode Manual Exposure
Tv( Shutter Speed ) 1/1000
Av( Aperture Value ) 14.0
ISO Speed 800
Lens EF300mm f/2.8L IS USM +2.0x
AF Mode AI Servo AF

Comments

18 comments

Comment posted by Brad Hill on March 9, 2012 at 8:40 AM

Hey Cheryl,

Good job on catching this one out of the water and at what appears to be almost the apex of its leap. Unless one has tried to photograph these guys it's hard to appreciate how hard it is - often you have no idea where they're going to "breach" and then they're up for just a second or so. If this were mine I might experiment with shifting the dolphin just slightly more to the right (tiny crop from right, and with equal amount added back on left, assuming you have the room in the original). But other than that...no nits. Great timing/reflexes - well done...

Cheers...

Brad

Registered on May 29, 2007, 431 Posts, 6061 Comments

Comment posted by Stephen Kaluski on March 9, 2012 at 10:59 AM

Hey Cheryl, small world.

Given the situation it's a cracking image, couldn't better the pose and trailing water, but would have dropped the f stop which in turn you could have afforded to drop the ISO as you had the SS. Two things you might like to look at, in Levels bring in either slider say 17-20 LHS, RHS 245 (% numbers personal preferences) as the image then pops a bit more and cloning out the whitish 'blob' in the dark blue/grey BKG, RHS.

TFS
Steve

Registered on March 25, 2007, 189 Posts, 1064 Comments

Comment posted by Cheryl Molennor on March 9, 2012 at 1:11 PM

Thanks you two. Hey Steve funny to see you here I got confused for a minute there. Lol. I am going to take both of your advise and work with it.

Registered on June 30, 2009, 300 Posts, 5051 Comments

Comment posted by Jenaya Launstein on March 9, 2012 at 1:23 PM

Wow, really cool image! Great timing! I hope I can find some dolphins to photograph someday.

Registered on February 8, 2011, 254 Posts, 1302 Comments

Comment posted by Max Waugh on March 9, 2012 at 1:37 PM

Brad stole my thunder. Definitely a tough subject to capture, and you did well. I was also going to suggest a slight crop on the right to move the dolphin away from the center of the frame.

Max

Registered on September 26, 2008, 428 Posts, 2329 Comments

Comment posted by Cheryl Molennor on March 9, 2012 at 1:52 PM

Thanks guys here is my repost

Registered on June 30, 2009, 300 Posts, 5051 Comments

Comment posted by Philip Hodgkins on March 9, 2012 at 2:07 PM

Since I live near dolphins day in and day out, I can appreciate just how hard this is. I agree with Brad, but either way is fine with me, except I am overcome with envy! I have managed this but once, and the dolphin rolled away. I got it in midair, but no eye or snout.

Registered on July 24, 2006, 2741 Posts, 12349 Comments

Comment posted by William Bickle on March 9, 2012 at 3:09 PM

Hello Cheryl

Beautiful Capture. Sharp & detailed at his apex.

TFS

Bill

Registered on June 13, 2011, 183 Posts, 1702 Comments

Comment posted by Lon Sharp on March 9, 2012 at 7:46 PM

Timing can be everything! Super job. I think the repost is a bit stronger.

Registered on December 9, 2007, 258 Posts, 9892 Comments

Comment posted by Cheryl Molennor on March 9, 2012 at 7:58 PM

Tyanks everyone.In Repost I blew out the water trail OOps heres another

Registered on June 30, 2009, 300 Posts, 5051 Comments

Comment posted by Ajit Huilgol on March 9, 2012 at 9:43 PM

The repost is definitely better, Cheryl. Really marvel at your timing and reflexes. As Brad said, it is so difficult to 'know' exactly where dolphins or whales are going to jump out of the water.

Registered on December 19, 2008, 302 Posts, 2055 Comments

Comment posted by Ken Archer on March 10, 2012 at 12:36 AM

This is awesome Cheryl

This may not be a bird, but it certainly is flying, your reaction and timing were perfect. I think the last re-post is the best image.
Nice Work!!!

Ken Archer

Registered on October 28, 2004, 222 Posts, 6683 Comments

Comment posted by Ellen deBoer on March 10, 2012 at 8:25 AM

Great catch, Cheryl! Nice to see the rework on the photo here. The last post is definitely the best.

Registered on March 16, 2006, 419 Posts, 2076 Comments

Comment posted by Joe James on March 12, 2012 at 10:58 PM

Great shot Cheryl! It's so hard to get a Bottlenose dolphin in "flight" because they just don't jump that often unlike Spinner, Spotted and Common Dolphins which seem to breach all the time. This is a wonderfully sharp image and I love that you captured it at the apogee of it's jump. I like the first one just fine but the repost is also great. Well done!

Registered on November 20, 2009, 89 Posts, 808 Comments

Comment posted by Cheryl Molennor on March 13, 2012 at 10:31 AM

Thanks everyone for the feedback

Registered on June 30, 2009, 300 Posts, 5051 Comments

Comment posted by Jagdeep Rajput on March 14, 2012 at 8:29 AM

Perfect timings n great image !
Jagdeep Rajput

Registered on April 29, 2008, 686 Posts, 2857 Comments

Comment posted by Howard Cheek on March 16, 2012 at 9:05 AM

Very cool Cheryl! You caught it at the "top" of its game

Way to go

Registered on July 24, 2008, 1201 Posts, 10758 Comments

Comment posted by Marlise Launstein on March 16, 2012 at 2:49 PM

Awesome picture! I like the sharpness, I love the water dropping of his tail, and I like the trees in the back. Nice shot Cheryl!

Registered on August 31, 2011, 28 Posts, 175 Comments