Mallard Hen in Flight

[Bill Dix]

Yet another from Cape May Point State Park last month. This is only a slight crop, since I liked the band of blue.

D7200, 500f4 + 1.4 TC, ISO 2000, 1/2500s @ f/7.1 manual, gitzo and mongoose.

[Grace Scalzo]

These colors and light are gorgous. Love this shot, Bill. I cannot think of one thing to suggest for improvement.

[arash_hazeghi]

you got some sweet light and a neat BG. nice wing position and details too, the water drops are also a plus. I would be tempted to crop out the water at the btm and tone down the highlights on the far wing a tad

TFS

[Colin Driscoll]

Lovely colors and light, and good detail on the bird. I agree with removing the blue and also for my taste a little more room at the top.

[Randy Stout]

Bill"

Lovely light, really lights up the eye, the shadows give a nice sense of form.

I like the blue as well, but could also see the crop as suggested above.

Cheers

Randy

[Daniel Cadieux]

I personally really like the blue at the bottom, I just wish the duck was a tad lower in the frame. Good flight pose, and although the light angle could have been difficult it did work OK here.

[Randy Stout]

Bill:

I think Daniel hit on the important point. The blue is great, but the balance isn't quite right because the bird is so high in the frame. I think that is why the crop suggestions 'cropped' up.

Cheers

Randy

[Bill Dix]

Thanks for the helpful comments. In this repost I asked her to fly a bit lower, but I kept the blue. See next pane.

[Bill Dix]

Here I tried a pano crop without the blue. I kept her in the original position. I think I prefer the blue.

[gail bisson]

Pane #8 does it for me! Did you move the band of water up or move the bird down?
Agree with Daniel's comment re: it wasn't feeling balanced but you fixed this with the repost.
Love the light here,
Gail

[Bill Dix]

Thanks Gail. I moved the bird down.

[Daniel Cadieux]

I agree, pane #8 strikes that balance indeed. Awesome job!

[Geoffrey Montagu]

I too like pane #8. Very nice detail, great light and love the water drops. Appealing BG also.




Geoffrey

[Bill Dix]

Thanks again everyone.