High Key Ring-billed Gull Photos

Two days ago I shared a high key winter Ring-billed Gull image and this morning I am sharing a few more photos from that series.

High Key Ring-billed Gull eating snow on a snowy morning – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/2000, ISO 1000, +2.0 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light

The light was low, there were heavy clouds overhead, snow was falling and the gull had walked over to a location where the fresh snow surrounded it. I’m glad that I saw the Ring-billed Gull and that I decided to take photos of it as it ate some snow that morning.

High key Ring-billed Gull eating snow – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/2000, ISO 1000, +2.0 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light

The longer I looked at the high key photos I took of this Ring-billed Gull in the snow the more I have enjoyed viewing them. In part that is because of their simplicity, the pop of color that the inside and outside of the bill provides against the white of the snow and the different poses of the gull.

High key Ring-billed Gull walking in the snow – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/2000, ISO 1000, +2.0 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light

After the gull ate the snow it had scooped into its bill it walked through the snow briefly before it flew off and mixed in with the rest of the gulls on the pond.

I hope that before winter is over that I can find a California Gull in the same low light, snowy conditions so that I can try to take high key images of that species too. Or any other birds. I’m not really picky about the birds I photograph, if it has feathers and is wild I’ll photograph it.

Life is good.

Mia

Click here to see more of my Ring-billed Gull photos plus facts and information about this species.

High Key is a term to describe images that are bright and contain little to no shadow. It is also sometimes used to describe photos and the photographic style that is simply bright, often with an overexposed background.