Semipalmated Plover

Image Critiques Avian Critiques
1

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Critique Style Requested: Standard

The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.

Description

Seen near Roger Tory Peterson Wildlife Area, off Old Lyme, CT. These little shore birds are hard to photograph as the scurry around the tidal flats foraging for smaller prey and worms, pulling them out much as robins do. This is a breeding adult with orange on its bill and a black crown.

Specific Feedback

All comments and suggestions are welcome and thanks for viewing.

Technical Details

Sony RX10M4, 600mm, f/7.1, 1/320s, handheld from kayak. Post adjustments included lowering highlights a bit, sharpening, and NR. Cropped about 30%.

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2

Hi Jim. A nice find and probably a difficult shot from a kayak. I think your shutter speed was pretty low for the circumstances . At 600 mm, the subject is usually far enough away that it doesn’t take much camera movement to create some softness in the image.

4

Hi Jim, I took the liberty of taking your photo into Photoshop, adding tonal contrast and Topaz sharpen and denoise and it does look better, but because there was a lot of movement, those details cant be corrected much. Nice capture.

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5

Hi Jim
It’s nice to see photographs from your kayak again. I agree with Dennis on the need to increase your shutter speed of 1/320. (1/1600 would help).
Peter

6

@robertakayne , @Peter_Morrissey , @Sandy_Richards-Brown , @Dennis_Plank , thank you all for your helpful advice. Roberta, thanks for your extra effort too; that’s an improvement but better to get it right in camera. This was taken a couple of years ago and since then I have increased shutter speeds even if their not flying :grinning:.

7

What others have said regarding shutter speed. Nice walking pose and overall composition.

8

@Allen_Brooks , thanks a lot for your input.