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A puffin in hiding
A puffin in hiding
andri


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Free Study 2007-06 (Advanced Editing V)
Camera: Canon EOS-10D
Lens: Canon EF 400mm f/5.6L USM
Location: Krýsuvíkurbjarg, Reykjanes, Iceland
Date: Jun 18, 2007
Aperture: f/5.6
ISO: 400
Shutter: 1/100
Galleries: Animals
Date Uploaded: Jun 30, 2007

 A tripod was really needed here due to lack of light but unfortunately it was impossible to set up a tripod as I was standing on the edge of the cliff. Thus I had to handheld the 400mm lens at a slow shutterspeed, 1/100. I solved it with the 'poor man's IS' trick, e.g. I shot a series of frames in burst in the hope that one or two would be sharp, which was fortunately the case here.

Processing:
a) Converted from RAW using Camera RAW in Photoshop.
b) Decreased noise, especially in the background.
c) Shadows/highlights to recover some details in the feather (the bird was in a shadow from the cliff).
d) Increased constrast slightly with a curve adjustment layer.
e) Slight soft-light adjustment layer.
f) Cropped from the sides.
g) USM in the end after resizing.

Krýsuvíkurbjarg ocean cliffs near Reykjavik, Iceland are nesting grounds to around 60,000 breeding pairs of birds. Puffins though aren't really that numerous there and often hard to get to so I had to search for a while at the cliff's edge before finding any to photograph. When I could get close enough the puffins though didn't mind the camera much.

Statistics
Place: 40 out of 556
Avg (all users): 6.5397
Avg (commenters): 8.2500
Avg (participants): 6.5625
Avg (non-participants): 6.4667
Views since voting: 1503
Views during voting: 233
Votes: 126
Comments: 13
Favorites: 3 (view)

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AuthorThread
 07/08/2007 03:54:04 PM
A wonderful nature study. Love that red beak.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/08/2007 03:38:48 AM
Wonderful photo, he looks so sad! Congratulations on making the top 40.

Mike
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/08/2007 01:55:34 AM
This is a very lovely animal and you have done a great job in photographing it I am surprised its not at a higher placing but great anyway
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
07/05/2007 05:48:59 PM
Unusual animal...great capture!!! *8*
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/05/2007 05:47:37 PM
sweet portrait
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/05/2007 04:36:54 PM
Not only is is a perfect photo, he looks so sad! 10
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/05/2007 09:16:45 AM
Ahhh...he looks so sad. The light & tones really does give the photo kind of a sad quality. Very nice color and clarity...beautiful photograph!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/02/2007 09:17:38 PM
Wow! What great DOF, focus and color! This is amazing!!! 9
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/02/2007 05:52:07 PM
Lovely subtle lighting, beautiful.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/02/2007 01:25:46 PM
Very nice shot, moody.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/01/2007 05:44:59 AM
Wow, this actually amazed me as this loaded. That is truly incredible.
I've never seen a shot of a puffin or pretty much any bird to that quality.
The out of focus object to the right in the foreground gives it a candid feel, like a stolen moment.
Straight 10 from me.
Brilliant.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/01/2007 01:33:07 AM
he just looks so sad.. but a fabulous photo
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/30/2007 10:28:46 PM
His head needs to stand out a bit more from the background.
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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