{"id":62602,"date":"2020-01-13T05:32:14","date_gmt":"2020-01-13T12:32:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=62602"},"modified":"2025-05-19T06:42:36","modified_gmt":"2025-05-19T11:42:36","slug":"winter-ring-billed-gulls-from-low-light-to-afternoon-light","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2020\/01\/13\/winter-ring-billed-gulls-from-low-light-to-afternoon-light\/","title":{"rendered":"Winter Ring-billed Gulls – From Low Light To Afternoon Light"},"content":{"rendered":"

Winter Ring-billed Gulls<\/h2>\n

\"WinterWinter Ring-billed Gull eating snow \u2013 Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/2000, ISO 1000, +2.0 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

I woke yesterday morning to about four inches of fresh snow on the ground, heavy cloud cover and more falling snow. I felt like I had been cooped up inside for too long because of the gray weather and since there was falling snow I decided to see if any birds were at the local pond to photograph despite the low light conditions. I was hoping to get photos of birds where the big, fluffy flakes of snow would show in the images.<\/p>\n

Instead I watched and photographed a Ring-billed Gull eating the fresh snow and I was able to achieve more high key type images of gulls this winter. Of the photos I took of this Ring-billed Gull eating the snow I liked this one the best because of its tipped head and the snow on its bill. I also like the big clump of snow in front the gull’s left leg, how well the gull stood out from the snow that surrounded it plus the high key effect.<\/p>\n

From Low Light To Afternoon Light<\/h2>\n

\"WinterWinter Ring-billed Gull in flight in afternoon light \u2013 Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/2000, ISO 640, +0.7 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

Later in the afternoon the sun came out for a bit so I went back to the pond to look for more birds to photograph in the nice light and found myself focused on yet another gull. I had much better light when I photographed this Ring-billed Gull in flight over the pond than I had earlier in the day.<\/p>\n

I can’t say that I prefer one of these Ring-billed Gull images over the other, the low light image is as appealing to me as the one I took in afternoon light. I enjoy them both.<\/p>\n

Life is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

To see more of my Ring-billed Gull photos plus facts and information about this species click here<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I can’t say that I prefer one of these Ring-billed Gull images over the other, the low light image is as appealing to me as the one I took in afternoon light. I enjoy them both.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":145025,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[27,410,709,26],"tags":[5554,4464,4286,4052,4122,3539,521,1123,4264,156,4468,4050,8284,4813,373],"class_list":["post-62602","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-avian","category-ring-billed-gulls","category-salt-lake-county-utah","category-utah","tag-afternoon-light","tag-drinking","tag-eating","tag-flight","tag-flying","tag-gull","tag-gulls","tag-high-key-2","tag-larus-delawarensis","tag-low-light-2","tag-ring-billed-gull","tag-snow","tag-snowing","tag-whiteout","tag-winter"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ring-billed-gull-drinking-snow-mia-mcpherson-1871.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-ghI","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":49939,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2017\/12\/17\/ring-billed-gulls-flying-in-a-december-snow-storm\/","url_meta":{"origin":62602,"position":0},"title":"Ring-billed Gulls Flying in a December Snow Storm","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"December 17, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"The light wasn't great when I photographed these Ring-billed Gulls flying in a December snow storm but I had a great time with the gulls and the rest of the birds.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Adult Ring-billed Gull flying in a snow storm, Salt Lake County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/ring-billed-gull-flight-snow-mia-mcpherson-5867.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/ring-billed-gull-flight-snow-mia-mcpherson-5867.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/ring-billed-gull-flight-snow-mia-mcpherson-5867.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/ring-billed-gull-flight-snow-mia-mcpherson-5867.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":48749,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2017\/10\/03\/winter-ring-billed-gull-adult\/","url_meta":{"origin":62602,"position":1},"title":"Winter Ring-billed Gull Adult","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"October 3, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"I photographed this adult Ring-billed Gull last winter at my local pond and loved the snow in the frame, the muted colors of the gull's plumage and the pops of color in the eye and bill of the gull.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Winter Ring-billed Gull, Salt Lake County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/ring-billed-gull-snow-mia-mcpherson-6602.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/ring-billed-gull-snow-mia-mcpherson-6602.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/ring-billed-gull-snow-mia-mcpherson-6602.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/ring-billed-gull-snow-mia-mcpherson-6602.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":62657,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2020\/01\/15\/high-key-ring-billed-gull-photos\/","url_meta":{"origin":62602,"position":2},"title":"High Key Ring-billed Gull Photos","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"January 15, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"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.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"High key Ring-billed Gull eating snow on a snowy morning, Salt Lake County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ring-billed-gull-high-key-snow-mia-mcpherson-1869.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ring-billed-gull-high-key-snow-mia-mcpherson-1869.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ring-billed-gull-high-key-snow-mia-mcpherson-1869.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ring-billed-gull-high-key-snow-mia-mcpherson-1869.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":62268,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2019\/12\/31\/winter-ring-billed-gull-in-a-whiteout\/","url_meta":{"origin":62602,"position":3},"title":"Winter Ring-billed Gull In A Whiteout","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"December 31, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"The light was low, big flakes of snow were falling and the ice was covered in fluffy snow so that allowed me to take photos of a few birds that looked like they were posed on a blank, white canvas.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Ring-billed Gull in a winter whiteout, Salt Lake County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ring-billed-gull-snow-high-key-mia-mcpherson-8469.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ring-billed-gull-snow-high-key-mia-mcpherson-8469.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ring-billed-gull-snow-high-key-mia-mcpherson-8469.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ring-billed-gull-snow-high-key-mia-mcpherson-8469.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":122561,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2024\/03\/04\/ring-billed-gull-and-a-heart-shaped-snowflake\/","url_meta":{"origin":62602,"position":4},"title":"Ring-billed Gull And A Heart Shaped Snowflake","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"March 4, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"It has been six years since I took this photo of a Ring-billed Gull and a heart shaped snowflake in the middle of a winter snowstorm at my local pond.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Ring-billed Gull and a heart shaped snowflake, Salt Lake County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ring-billed-gull-heart-snowflake-mia-mcpherson-5666.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ring-billed-gull-heart-snowflake-mia-mcpherson-5666.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ring-billed-gull-heart-snowflake-mia-mcpherson-5666.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ring-billed-gull-heart-snowflake-mia-mcpherson-5666.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":119756,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2024\/01\/16\/fun-with-a-goofy-immature-ring-billed-gull\/","url_meta":{"origin":62602,"position":5},"title":"Fun With A Goofy Immature Ring-billed Gull","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"January 16, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"I'm always ready for fun, and this goofy, immature Ring-billed Gull provided a bit of fun for me yesterday afternoon at one of my snowy local ponds.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Immature Ring-billed Gull looking goofier, Salt Lake County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/ring-billed-gull-immature-snow-mia-mcpherson-2479.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/ring-billed-gull-immature-snow-mia-mcpherson-2479.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/ring-billed-gull-immature-snow-mia-mcpherson-2479.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/ring-billed-gull-immature-snow-mia-mcpherson-2479.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/62602","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=62602"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/62602\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/145025"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=62602"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=62602"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=62602"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}