Atlantic Puffin
During July 2018, I was fortunate to visit Grimsey Island, Iceland and experience 2 weeks of total immersion experiencing the life of the Atlantic Puffin. Puffins are captivatingly beautiful and powerful birds capable of flying nearly 60 mph. They spend most of the year at sea but return to land during the summer months to breed and raise their young. During their nesting season, they continually gather fish to feed their developing offspring. These magnificent creatures are quiet, docile, and trusting; all endearing qualities that make them charming and irresistible. Thousand of nesting Puffins and the solitude of being isolated on the island made me feel like part of an ancient cycle of life.
Captivating
Bokeh is the soft background blur created when out-of-focus parts of a photograph enhance the mystique and aesthetic quality of an image. My prized 500mm telephoto excels at providing this effect that draws the viewer toward the beauty of the subject. Grimsey Island, Iceland July 2018. Canon 5D IV, 500mm f/4 IS II, ISO 640, 1/640 second @ f/8, image size 6720 x 4480 pixels.
Intimate View
Eye level close-up photography is my favorite perspective for any living beings especially for puffin's. While on Grimsey Island, I spent two weeks lying on belly or crouched low in the emerald green grass that blankets the landscape. Strategically shooting through foliage with a telephoto lens results in dreamy soft surroundings. Grimsey Iceland, July 2018. Canon 5D IV, 500mm f/4 IS II + 1.4x III, ISO 640, 1/640 second @ f/8, image size 6720 x 4480 pixels.
Alluring
Powerful, beautiful, gentle, trusting, intelligent, soulful, fearless, detemined; just a few adjectives that come to mind as recall the time I lived with these magnificent beings. "Sand eel" is a generic name for a number of species of fish that superficially resemble an eel. These fish represent a primary food source for puffins and many other sea birds. As sea temperatures rise, subsistence prey such as sand eels move to colder water forcing puffins to fly greater distances from their nesting sites. Grimsey Iceland, July 2018. Canon 5D IV, 500mm f/4 IS II + 1.4x III, ISO 400, 1/800 second @ f/8, image size 5076 x 3384 pixels.
Larger Than Life at Ten Inches Tall
Atlantic Puffins (Fratercula arctica), pose atop a cliff on Grimsey Island, Iceland, July 2018. Puffins are captivatingly beautiful and powerful birds capable of flying nearly 60 mph. They spend most of the year at sea but return to land during the summer months to breed and raise their young. During their nesting season, they continually gather fish to feed their developing offspring. These magnificent creatures are quiet, docile, and trusting; all endearing qualities that make them charming and irresistible. Canon 5D IV, 500mm f/4 IS II, ISO 800, 1/1000 second @ f.6.3, image size 6195 x 4130 pixels.
Atlantic Puffin
Portrait of a Puffin with it's sand eel prey, Grimsey Iceland, July 2018. Canon 5D IV, 500mm f/4 IS II, ISO 640, 1/1600 second @ f/4.5, image size 5862 x 3908 pixels.
Backlit Beauty
Sunset portrait on the western cliffs of Grimsey Island, Iceland.
Character
Puffins are entertaining little beings; having lived amongst them for ten days, their constant antics and individuality makes them irresistible. Canon 5D IV, 500mm f/4 IS II, ISO 640, 1/2500 second @ f/6.3, image size 5867 x 3911 pixels.
Puffin Express
In July I was fortunate to visit Grímsey Island, Iceland, and experience 10 days of total immersion in the life of the Atlantic Puffin. On the last evening of the trip, severe wind and dark skies nearly drove me inside. But I decided to remain on the cliffs and was rewarded with an unexpected break in the clouds and an unobstructed view of a backlit, sand-eel-toting puffin hurrying to its burrow.
https://www.audubon.org/magazine/summer-2019/the-2019-audubon-photography-awards-top-100
Atlantic Puffin
Puffins are inquisitive and curious individuals with distinct personalities. Grimsey Island, Iceland July 2018. Canon 5D IV, 500mm f/4 IS II , ISO 800, 1/640 second @ f/5.6, image size 5287 x 3525 pixels.
Atlantic Puffin
An Atlantic Puffin (Fratercula arctic) stretches it's wings after returning from sea with a beak filled with sand eels. Canon 5D IV, 500mm f/4 IS II, ISO 800, 1/640 second @ f/5.6, image size 5419 x 3613 pixels.
Atlantic Puffin
An Atlantic Puffin (Fratercula arctic) rests high above the sea on Grimsey Island, Iceland July 2018. Canon 5D IV, 500mm f/4 IS II , ISO 400, 1/1600 second @ f/5.6, image size 4931 x 3287 pixels.
Atlantic Puffin
Sunset Puffins graced by the day's last rays of light, on the west cliffs of Grimsey Island, Iceland, July 2018.
Atlantic Puffin
An Atlantic Puffin (Fratercula arctic) stretches it's wings on Grimsey Island, Iceland July 2018. Canon 5D IV, 500mm f/4 IS II, ISO 800, 1/1000 second @ f/5.6, image size 5946 x 3964 pixels.
Atlantic Puffin
Portrait of a Puffin, Grimsey Island, Iceland, July 2018. Canon 5D IV, 500mm f/4 IS II + 1.4x III, ISO 400, 1/1000 second @ f/7.1, image size 6209 x 4139 pixels.
Atlantic Puffin
An Atlantic Puffin (Fratercula arctic) stretches it's wings on Grimsey Island, Iceland July 2018. Canon 5D IV, 500mm f/4 IS II + 1.4x III, ISO 800, 1/1000 second @ f/5.6, image size 6720 x 4480 pixels.
Atlantic Puffin
Sunset portrait of sand eel carrying Puffin on Grimsey Island, Iceland, July 2018.Canon 5D IV, 500mm f/4 IS II, ISO 800, 1/800 second @ f/4.5, image size 5866 x 3911 pixels.
Atlantic Puffin
An Atlantic Puffin (Fratercula arctic) stretches it's wings on Grimsey Island, Iceland July 2018. Canon 5D IV, 500mm f/4 IS II, ISO 400, 1/1000 second @ f/5.6, image size 6720 x 4480 pixels.
Atlantic Puffin
Portrait of a Puffin, Grimsey Island, Iceland, July 2018. Canon 5D IV, 100-400mm, ISO 800, 1/640 second @ f/5.6, image size 6720 x 4480 pixels.
Atlantic Puffin
An Atlantic Puffin (Fratercula arctic) stretches it's wings after returning from sea with a beak filled with sand eels. Canon 5D IV, 500mm f/4 IS II, ISO 640, 1/1600 second @ f/4.5, image size 5662 x 3775 pixels.
Atlantic Puffin
Portrait of a Puffin with it's sand eel prey, Grimsey Iceland, July 2018. Canon 5D IV, 500mm f/4 IS II + 1.4x III, ISO 500, 1/640 second @ f/5.6, image size 5185 x 3457 pixels.