I like a lot the texture in the waves, Toad.
Very nice composition... and how sharp you have all the birds here.
You probably were in a very high position here?

That would be one of my favourite pictures of yours that you have posted Toad - love it.

Looks like you were directly above - how did you manage it?

Very nice.

ADK Jim

Thanks folks. I was on the top of a cliff leaning over with my a telephoto. This is actually a fairly old photo - that was shot with my F100 on Velvia slide film. I got to thinking about it the other day - and scanned the slide.

i really like this shot Toad . nice work ..

...... Shawn

Thanks Drake..

Wow - this is a great point of view. Looks like shot from a heli! Leaning over from a cliff (!) ... I'm getting dizzy already just from watching this picture and imagining these waters in motion.

I find this is a tremendously rewarding photo to look at. Initially I see one bird, and as I get used to the perspective and understand what I'm looking at, I see more and more detail. The positioning of the birds in a downward spiral matches the rocks in the water and the movement of the surf, and I can spend ages just rolling through the image along with the circling birds. Eventually the bird that's in flight but overlapping the cliff draws my eye, and I'm amazed again by the sheer number of birds sitting. After looking at that detail for a while, I notice how well the triangle of heavy back cliff face matches the larger triangle of light water diagonally opposite it, and then I'm off circling with the birds again.

Not bad.

Thanks very much - super feedback Matt - I can learn a lot from your perceptions. Thanks you as well, Jurgen - great to see you around!

Sorry Rob, missed this one; yes, lovely composition and balance(er, in more ways than one...!) I'd guess Velvia was/is the perfect medium for seascapes, given that beautifully luminescent bluey caste it does.
By the way, out of sheer interest...what ISO/ASA did/do you go for with Velvia...?...32-ish...? I ask this as I always found Fuji to be a little ambitious with their ratings, maybe around a third of a stop(or even more when the reciprocity thang played out.) Nice work, mate...you having a retrospective season then?

Thanks Zig - I think it was ISO 100 - but can't quite recall. Actually it was your post on scanners and Medium format cameras that got me looking at my old slides again.

Oh, I like birds and would love to see one of these, from close. Super shot from this angle!

John