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View Full Version : Theme: Wood Duck Courtship begins


annmpacheco
12-29-2015, 06:03 PM
Taken early last October. This pairing was already established in my observation as the male was very protective and would chase any newly male newcomer. There was a "third-wheel', young hen and I wondered if she was a first year offspring as she was tolerated and often would be close by. The selection of mate is completely the hen's choice. I think she made a fine choice.

1DX, 500mm, f 8, iso 640, 1/640.
Arthur Morris
12-29-2015, 07:19 PM
Lovely image design. Do the females generally have the green on top of the head??? Image quality especially on the two faces looks suspect. Perhaps because they are too light? a
annmpacheco
12-29-2015, 09:09 PM
Thank you Artie, i went back to the RAW file and reduced the exposure and smart sharpened. Any better? The green on the hens head was seen in many of my other images in good light, and still shows here even though the image is now darker overall...
gail bisson
12-30-2015, 06:01 AM
Hi Ann,
Repost looks great. It really brings out the beautiful BG colors. I wonder what this would look like with the ducks placed a bit lower in the frame by adding more on the top and taking some off the bottom?
I have never seen the green on the top of the female's head so this is really cool to see.
I would consider cloning the specular highlight in the LUC.
Nice to see you posting!
Gail
Arthur Morris
12-31-2015, 12:42 PM
Thank you Artie, i went back to the RAW file and reduced the exposure and smart sharpened. Any better? The green on the hens head was seen in many of my other images in good light, and still shows here even though the image is now darker overall...

YAW. The repost is surely a big improvement. I am just not sure that the hens usually have that green. Perhaps it is a young male... Or not :) a
annmpacheco
12-31-2015, 02:35 PM
YAW. The repost is surely a big improvement. I am just not sure that the hens usually have that green. Perhaps it is a young male... Or not :) a
Artie, I looked around for more wood duck descriptions and i now believe it is a young male just as you said. So perhaps there wasn't a courtship going on... Or not:)
Arthur Morris
01-01-2016, 05:47 PM
Artie, I looked around for more wood duck descriptions and i now believe it is a young male just as you said. So perhaps there wasn't a courtship going on... Or not:)

Hany panky.... a