Free, a photo from California, West

Photographer's Note

One of more than a hundred. No cheating, no copy and paste! The picture was taken from a fishing boat returning from Ocean to Ventura harbor. People cleaned their catch and a host of gulls took their share. The air was literally dense of them behind the boat's stern elegantly gliding on invisible air streams created by the speed of the boat. Composing the picture? I would perjure myself - my reflexes were much too slow. I just shot a roll after roll trying to do impossible. Yet, this is one of more than a hundred (useless).

Auto focus, of course. 200mm/2.8 lens. Scanned with Nikon CoolScan IV-ED. Hand mask, feathered 100 pix, to mask off the upper bird; unsharp mask 60%, 10pix radius on 4000 pix width level (autofocus didn't do its job perfectly); resampled to 800 pix width; unsharp mask 50%, 2 pix; curves (red) - slight correction of hue into red in mid-tones and dark regions. JPG level 50.

ninfa_urania, Signal-Womb, Facsi, speedyturtle, AandK, MLINES, Guillem69, Mistral, rubisheikh, Dyerco, shubhro oznaczył to zdjęcie jeko użyteczne

Critiques | Translate

Aegean (2571) 2003-02-22 15:12

Perfect seagull photo...what else can i say...BRAVO!!!!

Nina (5099) 2003-02-22 16:24

Very, very nice. I love your composition. If not in camera, you did it by elimination afterwards. :-)

Porteplume (4036) 2003-02-22 16:45

I remember this one... I liked it right away!

Pookanoodle (482) 2003-02-22 16:49

Absolutely superb composition, and a very honest account of how you achieved it! the results speak for themselves - well done!

[2]

ornis (1271) 2003-02-22 17:24

How can I criticize this one? It's a professional job. Superb result. You've choosen the right title too!

adam (860) 2003-02-23 4:49

The fact that you captured this scene direct from the camera is incredible!

rziya (542) 2003-02-23 9:27

Very good photo and very nice story behind.

Madness (44) 2003-04-01 3:26

impossible shot hehe
if only the head was sharp

mcreider (673) 2003-05-10 8:55

Great capture, no comments, you know everything what I could have said - because it is all in the picture!

thien (2112) 2003-05-30 19:22

What can I say that others haven't already said. Superb photo!!

nmess (2301) 2003-06-14 0:41

Super shot... what else can I say.

mdchachi (1612) 2003-06-17 15:39

Superb shot. This is the kind of photo where the digital format would come in handy since you had to take so many shots get to get it.

[2]

dob_31 (0) 2003-09-18 8:16

Nice shot... That seagull is really neat.

roconnell (327) 2003-12-04 0:41

Spectacular! The may be one in a hundred, but it was worth it. Great composition and PS work.

dovi (1068) 2003-12-10 12:23

Wow, the timing DOF and composition are perfect

charmante (1090) 2004-01-06 6:00

I love your photo ,Amadej 'cause it's very unique...
Yout note remembers me the same scene in Istanbul, Which I coudn't stop taking pix.
beautiful shot !

Gael (128) 2004-01-23 7:05

Thanks so much for your technical explanations. Really good photo

marctay (66) 2004-05-25 1:57

These seagulls deserve points (^_^), I have never seen any seagull this close before and am impressed that you managed take a near-symmetry wing spreads of these 2 birds (though they are looking at the different direction). Thanks for sharing the photo and yes, it is added to my fav list.

Amos (683) 2004-06-05 0:14

It is a rare photograph. It has a very strong a stopping power.Hope you will have thousands viewers.

Signal-Womb (13048) 2004-07-24 9:30

Most excellent capture Amadej. Well worth a hundred shots and more.

Hanssie (11022) 2004-07-30 13:11

"High" quality to see this original construction, great work, I would never get it like you did !

gsgeorge (764) 2005-01-19 17:09

I think the lesson here is that if you just keep shooting, you will get something great no matter what. Love this photo.

draco (1355) 2005-01-30 3:21

great, God opened the door for a while, and you got in, well done!!!

kenny0127821101 (11) 2005-08-02 1:00

ooh very nice picture thank your sharing

Facsi (212) 2005-09-23 3:17

Fantastic shot, gratula for your endless patience. You have to be prof of Photoshop as I read.
Good note, thank for sharing!
Bye, Facsi

MLINES (12516) 2006-04-05 19:51

Wonderful capture, two for the price of one. Beautiful clarity of the main subject. Well portrayed.

thsandoz (117) 2006-04-07 17:58

JUST ONE WORD: INCREDIBLE !
So good shot, Great

Thomas

angeliki (211) 2006-09-17 9:36

one word only,
congratulations!!!!
Angeliki

Don_Gusti (0) 2006-09-17 10:09

Dear Amadej,

So many things to be said in this incredible image, everything seems to be perfect, I wish I could shot 1 of those someday. TFS

Gusti

Mistral (15416) 2007-01-21 10:26

Hi Amadej,
stunning lucky picture!
It share a sense of freedom!!! Straight in my FAV's!
A smile
Luca

golden (2289) 2007-02-08 5:32

Fantastic capture!
Good framing and focus and of course perfect timing that you achieved to shot these 2 seagulls the one exactly above the other and at the same angle...

Regards,
Chrysoula.

anaines (827) 2007-02-08 9:58

Wow, your work was worth on the result. It is incredible, excellent shot. With a digital camera this work is a kind a more simple one, and probably cheaper. Congratulations!

anakpantai (27) 2007-03-08 23:46

lovely composed, the focus is a lil bit off on the bird head part but i could be wrong. still it's a lovely picture

paulalex32 (4) 2007-04-13 0:28

This is an amazing shot. Nice to hear your honesty and humbleness. Must have been an expensive shot though! Cheers!

rubisheikh (77) 2007-05-03 11:35

Hi Amadej Trnkoczy,
Great capture, nice colours and contrast, lovely composed, Well done best wishes TFS
Regards Rubi

Dyerco (10185) 2007-08-20 21:27

WOW!! It was worth it. Great composition and the DOF is spot on as there is super detail in the closest bird.

Well done.
Phil

deud (1920) 2007-08-20 22:50

wow! what a shot! the repetition is just great! it make a unforgetable impresion and visual impact! tfs

adlin (18) 2008-09-13 5:10

3 wishes,

1st wish : i wish you had captured the head of the background seagull in frame...
2nd wish : i wish i have the same steady hands with a 200mm, moving boat, flying birds and etcs... (pause) .. i could only imagine.
3rd wish : i wish i could emulate your impossibly-amazing shot .. one day .. someday .. even if it costs me 1 million shots! (on digital, of course).

Amadej, i love this shot. thanks for the notes and sharing the seagulls with us.