Inseparable pair .. in closeup
Gannets pair for life and are inseparable .. closeup of this pair was taken on the cliffs of Bonaventure Island, Quebec on the Atlantic coast of Canada. Their b...
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Gannets pair for life and are inseparable .. closeup of this pair was taken on the cliffs of Bonaventure Island, Quebec on the Atlantic coast of Canada. Their blue eyes seem to reflect the waters of the Atlantic ..
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Mar, 2014Views
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Awards
Featured
Contest Finalist in Exotic Wildlife Photo Contest
Peer Award
Superb Composition
Absolute Masterpiece
Top Choice
Outstanding Creativity
Magnificent Capture
All Star
Superior Skill
Genius
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Jaw Dropping
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Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Behind The Lens
Location
On the cliffs of Bonaventure Island... off the village of Perce, Quebec, on the Atlantic coast of Canada. This island is a magical place with its resident colony of more than a hundred thousand Northern Gannets, a colony of seals, numerous migratory sea birds and incredible seascapes. Absolutely worth a visit!Time
The first ferry to the island leaves at 9am and the last returns at 5pm, so early morning or evening light is not an option. This picture was taken around noon. The island is only accessible end of May to mid October.Lighting
In my opinion afternoon is probably a better option than morning, due to the location of the cliffs.Equipment
Canon 5D Mark II and EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM, hand held. No other equipment.Inspiration
The eyes... and the inseparable pairs. Gannets pair for life, they look at each other with those large blue eyes, peck and preen each other, and then look at you as if to say "what did you think of that?"Editing
Not much other than cropping, adjusting highlights, shadows, contrast and clarity on Lightroom, and blurring the background a little. The birds are on the ground and I'm behind a fence, so it was impossible to have the intense blue sky in the background. I refuse to change the background on nature shots, so what you see is pretty much what it was like!In my camera bag
In addition to the Canon 5D and my walk around 24-105 zoom, I have a Canon 7D and a Canon 400mm prime lens for birds and wildlife. And a polarizing filter for landscapes, that's it. Like to keep things simple. Most of my shots are handheld, I keep a tripod in the car but rarely use it.Feedback
Bird close-ups usually mean long lenses, but on Bonaventure Island you'll be so close to the gannets that a wide angle and a portrait lens is what I would recommend. Gannets are large and reflect a lot of light, so they a great to capture in flight. I found my 400mm great for that purpose.
