Blue-footed Booby aerial attack
This is a Blue-footed Booby in Galapagos. They circle above the ocean, stop on a dime and then hurtle beak first toward the ocean turning themselves into an avi...
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This is a Blue-footed Booby in Galapagos. They circle above the ocean, stop on a dime and then hurtle beak first toward the ocean turning themselves into an avian torpedo. When their prey is in sight, these seabirds utilize the physical adaptations that make them exceptional divers. They fold their long wings back around their streamlined bodies and plunge into the water from as high as 80 feet. Amazing birds
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May, 2019Views
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Magnificent Capture
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Superb Composition
Outstanding Creativity
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Petergwy
June 10, 2020
Thanks David, although as I told Sarah, it took several hundred photos to get this one shot!
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Petergwy
June 10, 2020
Thank you Sarah, although I have several hundred photos in my attempt to get this one photo!
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MaryAnne306
October 09, 2020
Wonderful capture! Great timing. And thanks for the info about blue-footed boobies. Never knew they were such superb divers, only that they had blue feet.
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ronjudyluv2travel
October 30, 2020
Incredible capture! Timing and persistence in getting that perfect shot - wow!
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Behind The Lens
Location
I took this photo on the island of San Cristobal in the Galapagos group of islands. We were shuttled onto the beach of this beautiful spot on the morning of April 24, 2016 to enjoy the local wildlife which included Blue-footed Boobies and Brown Pelicans as well as brightly-colored Sally Lightfoot crabs. Both the Blue-footed Boobies and the Pelicans were diving into the shallow water near the beach's edge hunting for fish. Following the larger, slower moving Pelicans as they dove toward the surface was relatively easy. But the Boobies would start at a higher altitude and gain speed as they narrowed their bodies into the shape of an avian harpoon.Time
This photo was taken at 9:20 in the morning.Lighting
The equator runs directly through the Galapagos Islands and as a result the days and nights are about the same length of time year round. The air always has some noticeable moisture so the sunlight is sort of soft. The background of all of my shots was either the sky or the sea, so there was no worry about backlighting.Equipment
I used a Canon 1DX with a Canon 70-200mm lens. No tripod or flash. f/3.5 1/3200 100 ISOInspiration
I have always enjoyed the challenge of taking photos of moving wildlife. In this case I took over 400 images of the Boobies and Pelicans diving into the water in the space of an hour or so.Editing
I shot this in Raw and used Photoshop. The post-processing included cropping and minor adjustments.In my camera bag
Canon 1DX, Canon EF 100/2.8L, Macro USM IS, Canon 16-35mm f/2.8L 2 EF, Canon EF 70-200/2.8 L IS II USM, Canon EF 500mm. Wimberley WH200 WIMB HEAD, Gitzo Series 5 Systematic 4 Section Tripod.Feedback
Getting this kind of shot requires a lot of patience. I suggest using a camera body that allows high speed shutter releases. My Canon 1DX takes 12 frames per second. During this shoot, I took over 400 images of the Boobies and Pelicans in order to get this one shot. Of course timing and preparation are important. Automatic focus is required. Settings: f/3.5 1/3200 100 ISO. High shutter speed is required.
