Wood Duck Drake in Eclipse Plumage.

[Daniel Cadieux]

The Wood Duck is arguably the most beautiful duck in North America, and possibly the world...and even in non-breeding plumage (eclipse plumage) such as here it is still quite a handsome bird! The pickerelweed in the background made for some nice colours so giving myself a low angle and aligning the subject between a few of them added lots of interest to the image. Having said this I do hope one day to get a similar scene with a beautifully dressed breeding plumaged individual!

Canon 7D + 100-400L @400mm, manual exposure, evaluative metering, 1/400s., f/6.3, ISO 400 (histogram checked), natural light, handheld, minor BG clean-up using patch and clone tools, some dodging to the lower part of the belly and burning on the bill. The right-most part of the stump extended up to touch the belly, took care of that with clone and patch tools.

[Jim Crosswell]

I like the pose, perch, HA, IQ, colour in the wing and BG. Excellent image Daniel!

[PhilCook]

Agree, it is a handsome bird and a rather nice perch as well, lovely eye in this shot

[Joe Senzatimore]

Sweet image. BG is killer as is the detail and exposure. Might take a little off the bottom as I find the perch a bit too big. Just my taste.

[Randy Stout]

Daniel:

NIce pose with great eye, colorful highlights in BG, sharp and well exposed.

The pose is interesting, but perhaps a bit heavy for the bird. I can see a little off the bottom as Joe mentioned, or perhaps a gentle burn in of the lowest portion to downplay its impact.

I look forward to seeing them this fall in their bright shiny duds.

Cheers

Randy

[Grace Scalzo]

Nice, Daniel. Not in love with the perch, and I think trimming it as suggested might help. I do like how you dressed up this image with those pops of color.

[Tony Whitehead]

Good job, Dan. I like the soft textures of the plumage and how the dry weed on the stump echoes those colours and textures. Eye is lovely. I might crop a sliver from left and bottom and agree with Randy's suggestion re a slight burn on the lower part of the stump.

[Carmelo Cannova]

Definitely one of the beauties we have here in N.A. Super perch and soft light and the purple spots in the BG are complimenting the bird very nicely.

Carmelo

[Jack Breakfast]

Daniel, a very nice look at a fine duck in fine plumage. I like the w. ducks every which way, even when they're scruffy. I might be the only person I know who prefers the female's plumage to the over-the-top craziness of the male's, but that's neither here nor there. I too will obsessively photograph these wonderducks, as they're one of the few species that's readily available to me. I like your image, I do. Shave a little off the bottom or don't, either way, it's quite nice and most soothing...

[Robert Holguin]

Wonderful shot. Lovely background, great pose, and very nice details.
Well done.

[Giuseppe Varano]

I agree about the beautiful of this duck and is really interesting to see its eclipse plumage. The wing looks soft ... probably you need more dof ? Indeed a very nice portrait Daniel, lovely the habitat perch and amazing bg.

[Stu Bowie]

Hi Dan, good image design, with the wood duck placed nicely in the frame. I like the pose, and the colours on both the WD, and BG, and the eye stands out so well.

[David Salem]

I like this shot allot. I like the softness to the overall scene. Nice to see a woody in eclipse plumage. I personally like the stump with the moss he is sitting on. Classic wood duck perch.. Good job on this one..

David