Newfoundland Puffins

I travelled to a very small Newfoundland town called Elliston, where I had the oppportunity to see and photograph Puffins. I was there during their mating season. During this time, the orange on the Puffins are extremely bright. They are a very humourist bird to watch. They land as though they are going to crash land....and take off like they have fallen off the cliff.

They were busy gathering up grass for the nest and busy rubbing beaks. When two birds began to display affections....it would draw a half dozen or more spectators...and it appeared as though this were the best entertainment on the rock.

I had to keep low to the ground, and more very slowly as not to startle the colony. The tempeture had dropped from 27c to only 8c as we climbed the cliff that hung over the Alantic ocean. I was able to photograph whales, eagles, puffin, moose, hare, and saw a bear.

I am returning home at the end of week, and leaving this rugged rock of an inland. I will say this......if you ever, ever get a chance to go to Newfoundland.....as a photographer, it is worth the trip!

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2)


3)


4)


5)


6)


All comments welcome....Iam open to learning any and all new things!

my vote is for no 4, i like it when the bird was looking at you while eating but imho i found the image lack of sharpness

I would have chosen 6 but for that splodge of green in the bottom right so therefore it's number 1.

One also for me, very nice set.

No. 1 - and I voted! Terrific set Judith Ann.

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How would you advice the improvement of sharpness....a more expensive lens perhaps...or is my setting wrong?

Thanks for your imput everyone. It is nice to continue to learn!

Yes that green is distracting....sometimes in these situations...you shoot what you get. I often could not really set up my shot...if I moved about too much they would be gone. So when they landed around me, I would just snap away...It was crazy fun!!!!!
Thanks for your imput

Ah, Elliston....root cellar capital of the world so they claim. I had no idea there was a puffin colony up that way. Comical little creatures, I've tried getting pictures of them from a boat near Witless Bay but to no avail. Of your splendid set, I think number 2 is my favorite.

Hope you had a good time visiting the Rock.

Cheers,

Stephen

I love #1 - there's some humour in it - the wee puffin looks as if he's walking , staggering off with a contribution for the nest But when I look at his feet he's in danger of tripping himself up

Lovely photos Thanks

I've seen more than enough bird pictures to last me a life time, Judith, although I appreciate the patience and skill needed to capture the images and I actually like bird watching (in moderation), but...

... these are very special, so big, bright and sharp. Well done!

im sorry if ive shock you somehow
i like the pose of the bird in no 4, im not an expert im still learning too...so this is what i thik, maybe its a little bit out of focus, is it the beak and i cant see the exif but it seem you use a high iso : hows the light, do you use tripod?

please correct me if im wrong..

A lovely set. Well done!

I like one and two the best, but voted for two - I just like the fine portrait.

4 does seem a little soft compared to the others, but it is still a very fine photo.

I will get to NL ones of these years.

I like the set as a whole JudithAnn, puffins make great photo subjects. There's a colony near where I live, the Farne Islands off the Northumberland coast and many of my friends go to capture photos there. I'm not a bird photographer but I can appreciate the skill involved. You ask how can you improve your image quality. I would say lots of practise. Any photographer who specialises in particular subjects gets better at it the more they do it. High shutter speeds, quick reactions and bags of good light help.
David

I agree with David, like them all, with a possible leaning towards 6. I played a little and cloned the green out very quickly. It woudl improve the shot. (my view).

Regards


Paul

Number one for me too. Crackin' pic. Got it all:

- movement of the subject itself, with just the teensiest bit of blur on the foot for emphasis, while the rest of the subject is pin-sharp.

- natural yet unusual action, the beak-full of nest-materials makes the shot interesting, out-of-the-ordinary, yet wholly 'real' without seeming staged.

- composition is good - there's space for the bird to walk into, which again heightens the movement aspect. Leadline/horizon being tilted like that, draws the eye into where the bird has been, which is interesting, if a tad unorthodox (but I like unorthodox!)

- beautifully vibrant colours, good contrast - the oranges and greens work well together, and of course the blacks and whites make a natural complementary pair. Very bright

- background is nicely defocused, yet not so much that the leaves on the ground are completely obscured. It's easy to link the leaves in the bird's beak with the leaves around him - both in terms of shape and colour.

- subtle air of 'mystery' - the bird's eye-line indicates he's heading for something - perhaps his nest - just out of shot to the right. Adds to the tension, emphasises the movement yet further, and begs the question in the viewer's mind "I wonder what his nest looks like?"

Great shot.