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lynnwiezycki

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Black Skimmer feeding Chick

Black Skimmer feeding Chick
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NIKON D800

settings

Aperture f/4.0 ISO 220 Shutter 1/2000

upload_date

Sep, 2013

Views

1129

Likes

+204

Awards

Featured

Judge Favorite

Staff Favorite

Peer Award

+37

Superb Composition

+24

Top Choice

+22

Absolute Masterpiece

+11

Magnificent Capture

Jaw Dropping

Outstanding Creativity

Superior Skill

All Star

Great Find

Exceptional Contrast

Top Ranks

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Behind The Lens

Location

Indian Shores, FL

Time

Early morning.

Lighting

The sun was still very low in the sky.

Equipment

Nikon D800 with 200-400mm lens on a Skimmer Ground Pod & Ballhead.

Inspiration

My photog friends and I visit this Black Skimmer nesting area multiple times during the nesting season to get images of the adults and chicks doing what Black Skimmers do. We go back & forth from sitting to laying on the sand to get that eye to view of these birds. the chicks are about 4-6 in tall.

Editing

Cropped, exposure adjusted locally due to the black feathers, sharpened.

In my camera bag

On a shoot like this I am carrying that large lens so I try to keep my bag as like as possible. I might have a short lens like my Nikon 24-70mm for wider angle shots & my Nikon anti-fog clothes.

Feedback

First off I was not that close! Be very respectful of this birds. The chicks are easily preyed upon by gulls & crows so do not get so close that the adults are scared away. You need to research to find these nesting areas (this one has 200-300 adults) and when they are there. Other Black Skimmer nesting sites in our area are on a slightly different schedule. Early morning is the best time on west coast of FL as the light is coming up over the land so we can get some back lit images in the nesting area and then get very well lit images of the adults skimming for fish. Then following them through the whole nesting season. I actually like the older chicks as they are learning to skim, they walk in the water and skim with their beaks like the adults when they are flying and then when they are learning to fly and skim it can be pretty interesting as well. Just respect them and if they move away from you as you approach then back off some until they don't move anymore. This colony will let people close enough where some of my friends are using 70-200mm with a 1.4TC and are still getting great shots.

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lynnwiezycki

lynnwiezycki

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Black Skimmer feeding Chick

Behind The Lens

See more amazing photos, follow lynnwiezycki

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