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The ultimate "winged rat" photo
So I have one more day of sunshine before the fog rolls in (summer pattern) on Sunday. So I was down at the pier trying to get some shots, surfers, fish cleaning, crab caught, fish caught, sunset, and a pelican feeding frenzy.
But this shot is the "ultimate" winged rat photo (I prefer to call them gulls, but gulls won't get me any attention around here, will it? :rofl ).
So gull no. 1 is sitting on the lamp post when gull no. 2 comes by, gull no. 1 did NOT give up his post (as most of them will) but although the poop was scared out of him, (I was totally unaware of this when I took the photo) he fought back (see each gull with open mouths ready to peck at each other) and gull no. 2 lost his sought after perch.
Disclaimer: except for cropping and a contrast mask (and a little masking of the contrast mask) no photoshop was used to create any special effects.
Isn't life exciting on the coast? :wink :wink :wink
But this shot is the "ultimate" winged rat photo (I prefer to call them gulls, but gulls won't get me any attention around here, will it? :rofl ).
So gull no. 1 is sitting on the lamp post when gull no. 2 comes by, gull no. 1 did NOT give up his post (as most of them will) but although the poop was scared out of him, (I was totally unaware of this when I took the photo) he fought back (see each gull with open mouths ready to peck at each other) and gull no. 2 lost his sought after perch.
Disclaimer: except for cropping and a contrast mask (and a little masking of the contrast mask) no photoshop was used to create any special effects.
Isn't life exciting on the coast? :wink :wink :wink
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Susan Appel Photography My Blog
Thanks Dee, I love to see pics of gulls fighting among themselves.
Excellent capture.
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How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
It was rather bright and hazy clear at the coast. I shot it at 8:03, f4 at 1/160, ISO 64, focal length 36.8. I use a Sony F828 (28-200 is the zoom on the lens).
It was late when I processed the picture, and I did a quick "save for web" rather than doing my usual running the script to give me the neat little box with info (like HarryB does).
I was at our local pier and was studying the gull protocol regarding the coveted perches. I got quite a few nice shots, but just thought this one was so funny -- as well as unusual. It happened so quickly I barely had time to click the shutter! These gulls move fast!!!!
It actually was a mini experimenting day. I tried continuous focus (had to go to camera set up to change it -- after taking a rest on one of the benches on the pier and pulling out the camera's manual [yes, I carry the manual in my purse] to find out how) and decided I did not like it. I'd have something in focus, then the camera would try to refocus just about the time I was ready to snap the shutter. Oh well, the manual did mention something about fast moving subjects!
I tried some burst modes, and actually that would have been ideal for the "changing of the guard" with the gulls, but it seems to take so long to write to the memory after I take a burst of shots, even if it's only one shot, so I don't usually use that. And I forget which one is faster, and which one let's me "see."
I had just taken off my EV compensation about an hour previous to this, too.
Post processing helped, and using the contrast mask equalized the shadows and highlights.
I was probably pretty close to 200, but had zoomed back in a bit to allow for wings and a second bird in the frame.
I was actually trying to get a good pelican shot. I thought I had one I could be proud of, until I saw Steve C's pelican shot, and when I reviewed mine, it was out of focus. Unfortunately they don't always fly right overhead, it was hazy with salt spray, and the pelicans flew out of focus. That's why I thought I'd try the continuous focus, but that didn't work either.
So, it's still a lot of luck for me trying to get the right combination.
Oh, I was on "P" mode, which is practically the same as "automatic" except I control the ISO and keep it at 64.
I keep thinking of dSLRs, but it would mean a huge change in the way I take photos to properly utilize them.
I didn't mean to go on and on here
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I've been enjoying your photos, especially of the flowers, but have been bad in commenting.
Kind of figured you guys would enjoy that pic! They actually do peck each other pretty badly. While in NY on the island, I photographed one gull who had a piece of fishing line permanently imbedded. I was trying to figure out where or how, but the line didn't disappear and seemed attached.
While I was at the pier yesterday, the pelicans were in a feeding frenzy, but it was too far to catch any decent action with my lens. I haven't finished processing all my pics that are worthy of processing. The gulls were easy pickings, while the pelicans had a one track mind -- food and were in no mood to glide slowly by for me! In fact they were pretty darn fast!
One person caught 3 fish on her pole, and man, did those gulls ever become eagle eyed with the thought of food! You can believe the woman was guarding her catch and rapidly getting them under cover!
Then I noticed this one man come to the cleaning station with a big fish, then I noticed his gear, waders, etc., and I think he brought the fish to the pier just to clean it -- or just to antagonize the gulls! He had some kind of rope attached to the fish's mouth/gills too, which is another reason I think he caught it somewhere else and brought it to the pier to clean.
I watch the fisherman all the time, sometimes using them as props to my beach scenes (like I'm going to go down and ask them to move out of my picture, right?
I also watched 2 good sized crabs get pulled up. I was hoping to get a tossing over of the crab traps, but wasn't quick enough.
I may post more pictures as part of "a day at the pier" story, they don't really have any redeeming photographic value otherwise
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