Great Crested Grebe

[Marko Matesic]

Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus)

http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/3779/cubastignjuracpodicepscsd2.jpg


20D+ 100-400@400 ...f/6.3, 1/500 s,-0.33 eV, ISO 400, from floating hide

[Steve Maxson]

I like the pose and the light is wonderful, Marko. The bird looks like it has just been diving. Good exposure control and a lovely background.

[Arthur Morris]

Lovely light and perspective. Tell us about your floating blind experience! Only way to make it better would be to have this guy looking right at you with a raised crest...

[Daniel Cadieux]

I really like how the top of the photo looks like the aurora borealis!! :-) The low angle and great light are perfect.

[Philip Pietri]

Love the ruffled look and your subject is in some sweeet light. Not much to complain about here. Great job.

[Gyorgy Szimuly]

Beautiful lights, pose and composition.
Love everything on it.

Szimi

[Manos Papadomanolakis]

Congrats my friend!
I really love the light,angle,pose and colors,nice work Marko!

[Kobus Tollig]

Super shot well done on this

[Marko Matesic]

Thx for your kind comments and suggestions....
Artie.....I made my floating hide from styrodur foam ....some plywood ,old tent poles and home made ghillie netting .
Hide is "U" letter shape platform.....and it looks like small tent on the water....best depth of water to use it is around meter and half ...but it is suitable from 30 cm to meter and half(it depends on hight of person who use it)....in shallow water I walk on my knees ......I wear my diving suit and just walk around and looking for birds .....many species don`t find it threatening at all .....you can walk very close without scare them
I use floating hide because I have more control over light and background .....I can easily change position and angles . .....always keep sun behind my back or where ever I want.............follow birds without scaring them(kingfishers often use my hide as perch :) they land few centimeters from my head...incredible experience ) ..........static hides are nice but I want more control on things I mention earlier
it is not most comfortable and warmest :) way to shoot birds but it is very effective.....birds in most part of Europe are not tame at all and not easy approachable...so we must find different ways to shoot them.....specially with relatively short lens like I own (canon 20D+ 100-400 (IS broken :)
hope you understand my English.....:)
if you have more questions feel free to ask .....

[Hillebrand Breuker]

I love this image. The light is great. I really like the low angle. At the moment I am working on my own floating hide to get these results. Good job!

[DanWalters]

Beautiful! Love the low angle and the colors!