The Merlin app identifies these fellows as Dunlins. I’ve never seen them at our local wildlife refuge before. In the early morning light they are so magical when the all launch and fly in such a synchronized way circling before landing again.
Anyway, this one turned out pretty well, and I only had to clone out a few beaks on the left edge.
Type of Critique Requested
Aesthetic: Feedback on the overall visual appeal of the image, including its color, lighting, cropping, and composition.
Specific Feedback and Self-Critique
It’s so hard to show their synchronicity in a static image. Plus, my bird in flight technique plain sucks. I need a lot more practice.
Beautiful! I love the colours…so nice the background (including water reflection) matches the birds. The composition is great as you seem to have caught the front of the formation as a triangle…not easy to do! Nothing to change from my point of view.
I love the wing position of nearly all of the birds here, David. These are so hard to catch with similar wing positions but you nailed it. The other thing is that most of the birds appear to be sharp and in a flock that’s tough to do. Can’t think of anything to make this better.
This kind of shot benefits from being blown up really large. I love how there is space at all sides around this group; also that most of the eyes are visible. Dunlins are speedy, so I think you’ve done pretty well at catching them in flight. I’m too fussy, but would clone out the white streak in the water, LLC.
@Robena.Sirett, @David_Haynes, and @Mike_Friel thank you for the comments. Much appreciated. I took so many rapid fire shots, but most of them were too blurry. I did not have a sharp enough shutter speed. Should have been upwards of 1/2500 or more.
Mike, I’ll take a look at that white streak. Thanks.
David
You did so well capturing this image. As @David_Haynes said, the fact that these are all in focus is a huge and difficult feat.
What really jumped out to me is the contrast between the birds and the background. The black parts of the wings (all pretty much synchronized in the same position, another cool and difficult thing to capture) really is distinguished from the soft and light background. To me this almost has a 3D look.
This is really impressive. I love these kinds of flock images. They are so very beautiful to behold in person.
Congrats for being at the ready to capture this scene.
