Motif: High-Key Laughing Gull in Flight (Flash as main)

Hi Heather! I like this quite a bit. I was just talking with someone today about bird images with overcast skies. While he said they usually don't appeal to him because the colors look flat, I find that I really like them when they're done well. I think the plain background can really showcase the subject nicely making the image look more like an artist's drawing or painting...

For example... I like the following post a lot as I think it really displays the bird well. I know there are other examples but this one particularly stood out to me.

http://www.naturescapes.net/phpBB3/view ... ght=#76911

As with most things, I think it's pretty much subjective. I like it though!!!

Heather,

I like it, the gull stands out enough to be able to see it clearly but it blends into the BG in a nice way.

Exposure looks good -- when shooting against overcast like this was the flash primary light? If so what is your limit on distance?

This looks good to me. I'm not a big fan of High Key, but this one works.

Well done Heather. this is really nice. I like it a lot.

It works for me as the gull stands out.

Heather,

I'd prefer a darker BG, but this works because it's technically perfect and the capture is neat. You don't even notice the flash use.

Jim

I am not a big fan of all white background or overcast skies, but this one works.

Very nice and it was fun! I like these high-key shots personally and the flash illuminated the bird nicely.

Brian, yes this is flash as "main" light. Had there been no flash the bird would have been just a dark blob. I think the ambient was under-exposed by at least 2 stops if my memory serves. As far as distance it depends on aperture, ISO and guide number (which is increased with the better beamer). Keeping the shutter speed at or below the sync speed of the camera ensures maximum range (an advantage of the 1D as it syncs at 1/500th). When we do this we are shooting in manual mode and setting the aperture to ensure we have flash confirmation on the subject at the working distance. In this case, at 100mm the bird was quite close. The 500EX can go pretty far with the better beamer, so we were well within range here. Rather than trying to rack my brain with guide number/ aperture/ISO calculations, etc., I just look for the green confirmation light.

Well done Heather!

Nice exposure! These guys are much more difficult to get good images than one would think.

Dj

Heather,

This is a very nice shot. I think the background works well here since you have a black and white subject.

The high-key BG really makes the head, feet and wing-tips standout. I generally don't care for bright backgrounds but you did an excellent job here.

Very nice! Getting such good separation within such a narrow range of tones is quite difficult.

aj

This is very nice!! The bird stands out nicely against the high-key sky.

I don't usually consider them high-key unless the background is white and featureless. Although it's bright, the background is not as bright as sections of the bird.

The tail is almost lost in the sky. In this case, the bird needs to be darker or the sky brighter. However, this doesn't mean I don't like it. It has a soft feel to it and that's got charm too.

Heather
I've never liked too many high-key images perhaps because they have just not been done well. You did an outstanding job with this one and I like it.

Good use of flash!

Very nice indeed!!!
Congrats!!!

I like high key images when they are done well, and this one is a good example.