Etu Moana, a photo from Cook Islands, Other Islands

Photographer's Note

'Etu Moana' is the Maori word for blue starfish.

I just returned from a fantastic trip to Aitutaki Atoll in The Cook Islands in the heart of the South Pacific. I had a feeling that a great sunset would materialize this night and I spent 3 hours walking up and down the beach looking for a suitable foreground and wasn't having much luck until I glanced down and saw this little guy. He was invisible without polarized sunglasses and luckily I had just put mine on. Believe it or not, these guys move pretty fast and I had to use a high ISO to keep the shutter speed up and hold the limb movement to a minimum. This was a fairly productive trip photographically and I will be posting more shots from these beautiful islands over the next couple weeks.

Canon 5D MkII 16-35mm lens at 16mm
5 seconds at f20 ISO 320 and a 2 stop hard graduated neutral density filter.

PS: The trip was paid for with my grand prize in OP's Iconic 100 contest! It pays to play!

ribeiroantonio, DannyJ, vasilpro, chulasantos, jellianne, PainDivine69, LydiaAo ha contrassegnato questa nota come utile

Critiques | Translate

maltese (22909) 2009-06-15 21:50

Hello Michael
De superbes couleurs, une très bonne gestion de la pose longue et une composition bien pensée avec ce premier plan étoilé!!
Très bon travail
Amicalement
Hervé

smarcell (19965) 2009-06-15 22:39

Hello Michael,
Very beautiful perspective, and great use of the wide angle lens. I like the fact that some marine life is visible through the water.
Regards Stefano

ribeiroantonio (22730) 2009-06-15 22:47

This is an extraordinary beautiful shot. The sense of depth is magnificent and the colours are stunning. The way you composed the shot makes the starfish to look huge. It goes to my favorites. Well done.
Antonio

Bushrat (69) 2009-06-15 22:47

Wow, this one really jumps out at you. Great colours and depth of field. The starfish is perfectly positioned and adds great perspective, although even without it it would be a great shot. Good on ya!
Regards,
Alex

Fellini (6407) 2009-06-16 0:00

Hi Michael...
what a wonderful capture!
Great perspective and amazing colours, the resulting atmosphere is very impressive, well done.
What it is OP's Iconic 100?
Best regards
Alex

jimkil (1706) 2009-06-16 0:14

Hi Mark
Im off to Rarotonga in August which I think is near this Island you visited. A super shot, would have been grand without that starfish but this makes it so much better. Wonderful shot.
Regards
Jim

ku-fotak-chtik (1142) 2009-06-16 0:38

Hi Michael,

I haven't got words. This is just specatacular, your searching on the beach was worthful. It just catched my attention because it isn't just a nice sunset it has more to show. I must have a look on the contest.

Great stuff!!!

Kind Regards Jiri

sabermonajati (11537) 2009-06-16 3:34

hi michael
photo taked whith design thinking.
amazing photo and nice colours and best frame.
regard

jimmyjimmy (6164) 2009-06-16 4:24

Hello Micheal

I am speechless. Everything about this image is Excellent. I am also envious of such Beautiful work.
TFS

Regards
Jimmy

Greg1949 (9011) 2009-06-16 5:14

Very nice Michael, the colors and details are awesome and your light control is fantastic, great work.

Greg

BurhanettinMasa (641) 2009-06-16 5:19

Hello Michael,
Really fantastic job, colours, your POV and the composition is superb ...

Regards,
Burhan

vasilpro (41801) 2009-06-16 8:41

Hello Michael,
Great picture with a very well chosen POV, excellent light management, amazing sky and reflections, lovely sunset colors.
Greetings, Vasilis.

BoisBarb (10369) 2009-06-16 10:20

Hi Michael,
A fantastic forground and a magical light. That's absolutly wonderful
Gilles

dkeus31 (27739) 2009-06-16 11:53

Hi Michael
great image, the colors and light are outstanding here!
love also this foreground aminal in the water, perfect
didier

jonathan_hart (21276) 2009-06-16 13:36

wonderful composition, the star makes the shot, without it, it would be another sunset
jc

gneufeld (15890) 2009-06-16 19:18

Hi Michael,
A stunning sunset here in a perfect vertical format. The rich colors and reflections are gorgeous. WEll done and TFS. Gerald

chulasantos (251) 2009-06-17 1:36

Beautiful!!! great technique!
regards

maglex (1980) 2009-06-17 9:52

Nice shapes of those two creatures and colors, reminiscent of children's toys...Magnificent wide angle shot...Thanks for sharing...Alex

Surfer31 (0) 2009-06-17 11:03

Amazing colors and a perfect composition. This is paradise!
Great job!

Waylim (25436) 2009-06-17 11:30

Greetings Michael.
Great shot, as we all know sometimes a good photo involve some luck. you have to be there at the right time and you have you camera ready to shoot and you have to be quick with you hand. This is a wonderful moment as this "LITTLE GUY" as if he is running across your POV. Great sunset to go with it. With all that being said. I think the sky though very beautiful with it's arrays of colors, it is overly saturated, naturally or through pp. I think it should be tone down a tad to where it is still beautiful but not as overwhelming, it take much attention aways from the little guy "the star" of this composition. Wonderful Gallery, very professional quality and a great collection of wonderful places.
Way

kingurek (724) 2009-06-18 12:59

Hello,
This is amazing!!! What a lovely depth of field!!!!Beautiful colours and lights. It looks like the postcard. Very good composition. These clouds seems to be so heavy... I wish I took such a beautiful photos one day. I am really impressed :)

Greetings

Kinga

jellianne (250) 2009-06-18 20:39

Love it!!! it gives me the WOW.

scalerman (26900) 2009-06-19 20:10

Michael: not much time these days for TE - perhaps you can guess some of the reasons. An amazing natural piece here - of course, the sunset isn't the only star here. best, c

Tobias__Ortmann (2638) 2009-06-20 1:59

Hi michael,
this is absolutely stunning.Great use of the grey fitler.I also made a lot of shots with my new filters in the last vacations.YOu will see them soon.
Very nice shot perfect depth and great colored sky
Toba
ps:I will add this to my favorites

federico (6109) 2009-06-21 16:04

hi michael you really up grade this web site with these wonderfull photos, great subject, great colors professional style, best regards fred

azizbilgili (2111) 2009-06-24 10:26

Hi Michael,
Very beautiful perspective, and great use of the wide angle lens. I like the fact that some marine life is visible through the water.

TFS

lamentforicarus (393) 2009-06-30 9:18

A brilliant shot of an astonishingly beautiful sunset. The warm, vibrant colors seemingly electrify the clear, placid waters and the marine life within. The dark rocks and distant islands provide immense depth to this picture. Wonderful composition as always.

PainDivine69 (1) 2009-10-17 8:42