red breasted merganser

[annmpacheco]

I like the flat water here for the reflection but wish there had been more color on the head, some here but not what i was after.

1Dx
1200mm

ISO 1600
f 8
1/500

[Krishna Prasad kotti]

Nice Soft Light. Reflection is very good and looks cool.

You can open the head a little.

I may think about having little bit on the left. For me this type of crop is always difficult get it right..

TFS

[Bill Dix]

I do like the pose, still water, bow wave and reflection. It's interesting how the green of the head can look very different depending on the light. I know what you were hoping for, but this is still a nice image.

[Arthur Morris]

You guys are killing me with these merg images. Here I would simply blacken the pupil using Eye Doctor techniques to make the image appear a lot sharper. And maybe tone down the specular highlights at the base of the bill.

with love, artie

[William Dickson]

Lovely looking image Ann...Nice detail and the reflection and position of bill looks fab. Well done on getting this pose.

Will

[dankearl]

Kind of a wicked pose... I might remove the spec lights on the bill.
I think it could go a bit looser crop if you have it.

[John Mack]

The light looks nice and i like the reflection. Nice hair do as well.

[gail bisson]

I love the still calm water- sooo nice.
Very unusual pose with the beak partially submerged in the bow wave.
The light is really nice and I love the killer reflection. Well done Ann.

[Dorian Anderson]

Really nice Ann! Love the smooth water and reflection, and the exposure and details look really good. Agree with a bit more space left if you have it. Light looks really low,
and my experience is that stronger, higher sun really helps to bring out the iridescence. But then getting the exposure right on high contrast birds like these get harder,
so you kinda have to give some on all sides!

[Daniel Cadieux]

These guys are quite tough to get close too here, so I am really liking this nice view of it! Beautiful calm water you had had. Nicely down overall. I agree with darkening the pupil, and perhaps a touch more room below as I find the feather tips a bit close of the edge. All else top-notch for me!

[Isaac Grant]

Seems like on lots of images lately I am the odd man out. I do like the reflection and unusual pose with the raised crest. But the image is too dark for me, the colors are off, the whites are too grayed out and for me the image quality is just OK. Also I do not think there is enough room at the bottom of the frame for the reflection. I would add more canvas back or clone out the tip of the reflection from the spot where there is the smudge in the water. Actually that smudge and seems odd and the direction of the reflection changes a bunch. Did you add canvas or was that natural?

[Mike Poole]

I like the image, lovely glass effect to the undisturbed water and nice warn light. There are 2 little changes I think make a big difference, and after reading the thread, they've already been mentioned, but anyway I took a minute to darken the pupil and add a bit of the catchlight back, and clone away the reflection from the smudged area. Only subtle but to me, they make a nice difference

179955

Mike

[annmpacheco]

I like the image, lovely glass effect to the undisturbed water and nice warn light. There are 2 little changes I think make a big difference, and after reading the thread, they've already been mentioned, but anyway I took a minute to darken the pupil and add a bit of the catchlight back, and clone away the reflection from the smudged area. Only subtle but to me, they make a nice difference

179955

Mike

Thanks for the repost Mike, I do like the changes you made. I did at the end of processing add canvas and i didn't notice until Isaac mentioned the smudge and you cleaned it up that i had indeed done some sloppy work. Thanks again

[annmpacheco]

Seems like on lots of images lately I am the odd man out. I do like the reflection and unusual pose with the raised crest. But the image is too dark for me, the colors are off, the whites are too grayed out and for me the image quality is just OK. Also I do not think there is enough room at the bottom of the frame for the reflection. I would add more canvas back or clone out the tip of the reflection from the spot where there is the smudge in the water. Actually that smudge and seems odd and the direction of the reflection changes a bunch. Did you add canvas or was that natural?
Hi isaac, when i read your comment asnd looked at that smudge i responded to mikes post and mentioned your observation. I mistakenly wrote to mike and said i had indeed added canvas but when i returned to my RAW and looked, I did not add canvas and the smudge is there. Just wanted to clear all that up!

[annmpacheco]

Thanks for the repost Mike, I do like the changes you made. I did at the end of processing add canvas and i didn't notice until Isaac mentioned the smudge and you cleaned it up that i had indeed done some sloppy work. Thanks again

hi Mike, my apologies, I thiught i added canvas anthat was smudge, but I checked my RAW and the smudge is there and I didn't add canvas as i had thought...

[Isaac Grant]

What was the smudge!!! That is so weird :Whoa!: