Maria Mazo, PPSA
August 2026 - Juvenile Albatross
Original
About the Image(s)
For this month’s image, I chose this photograph of a juvenile albatross that I took almost a year ago during an outing with the nature group in Asturias. EXIF data -- Shutter speed: 1/2500 sec, Aperture: f/7.1, ISO: 800, Camera: Canon R5 Mark II, Lens: Canon 100??“500mm at 300mm.
8 comments posted
I love how you captured the face -- spot on! The blurred wave action in the background suggest place and helps to show off the bird. Perhaps you could work on brightening up the darker areas (including the face), but overall the albatross is nice and sharp. Posted: 08/13/2026 21:43:47
Hi Jerry,
Thank you for your comment and suggestions. I really appreciate them. Posted: 08/24/2026 21:03:09
Thank you for your comment and suggestions. I really appreciate them. Posted: 08/24/2026 21:03:09
Maria,
This is lovely! There's just enough definition in the background to make it interesting, without competing for attention. The soft light helps. The pose is very nice, I like the fanned tail and the focused expression on its face.
I also like what you did adding a bit of canvas on the left, giving a good spacing around the bird.
The bird is a juvenile Northern Gannet. Note the bill doesn't have the tube structures on the top that all Albatrosses have. Posted: 08/16/2026 18:40:40
This is lovely! There's just enough definition in the background to make it interesting, without competing for attention. The soft light helps. The pose is very nice, I like the fanned tail and the focused expression on its face.
I also like what you did adding a bit of canvas on the left, giving a good spacing around the bird.
The bird is a juvenile Northern Gannet. Note the bill doesn't have the tube structures on the top that all Albatrosses have. Posted: 08/16/2026 18:40:40
Hi Cindy,
Thank you for your thoughtful comment and for letting me know that it is a juvenile gannet. Sometimes I get a bit confused between the English and Spanish names.
I'm glad you liked the canvas extension on the left. As I'm not using this image for any nature competition, I took advantage of the editing process to improve my original shot by adding a little more space and creating a better-balanced composition. Posted: 08/24/2026 21:11:44
Thank you for your thoughtful comment and for letting me know that it is a juvenile gannet. Sometimes I get a bit confused between the English and Spanish names.
I'm glad you liked the canvas extension on the left. As I'm not using this image for any nature competition, I took advantage of the editing process to improve my original shot by adding a little more space and creating a better-balanced composition. Posted: 08/24/2026 21:11:44
Maria - As Cindy says, this is very likely to be a young Gannet (blue by the eyes is consistent with that). You don't say where you took it - off Spain would be right for these.
A very few albatrosses venture to northern waters - and as Cindy states they all have salt glands at the top of the beak.
Anyway, it's a fabulous capture! I actually very much love your PP - these birds have multiple tones of brown as youngsters, so some dark brown is normal and helps to show off the bright dots in its patters. Lovey shot! Posted: 08/18/2026 14:17:06
A very few albatrosses venture to northern waters - and as Cindy states they all have salt glands at the top of the beak.
Anyway, it's a fabulous capture! I actually very much love your PP - these birds have multiple tones of brown as youngsters, so some dark brown is normal and helps to show off the bright dots in its patters. Lovey shot! Posted: 08/18/2026 14:17:06
Hi Adrian,
I took this shot on a pelagic outing here in the north of Spain, and for some reason I was confused about the English name. Here in Spain, we call it an alcatraz.
Thank you for your comment! Posted: 08/24/2026 21:19:35
I took this shot on a pelagic outing here in the north of Spain, and for some reason I was confused about the English name. Here in Spain, we call it an alcatraz.
Thank you for your comment! Posted: 08/24/2026 21:19:35
Yes nice capture especially at 300mm it must have been somewhat close which makes it even more difficult to capture a bird in flight. Like the background blur for it enhances the bird. Posted: 08/24/2026 20:35:39
Hi Steve,
Thank you for your comment. Yes, the boat was moving while the birds were around, taking advantage of some fish feeding to attract them close to the boat and give us the opportunity to get some shots of these birds. They were migrating along the northern coast of Spain, and they are usually quite difficult to see from land. Posted: 08/24/2026 21:25:06