Goldie on Gold

[William Dickson]

Canon 5D4
f/4 500mm with 1.4
f/6.3
1/2000
ISO 640

Late afternoon sun had cast a reflection off the harbour wall onto a part of the blue sea. so I got myself into position, hoping to get some Eiders swimming past in that area. My window was limited because of large concrete blocks on both sides of me. I set the tripod up, and placed it under the water, hoping that I would get a few shots before the tide became too high. I did get a few Eiders, then along came this Goldeneye, which was a bonus.

Will

[annmpacheco]

great looking goldeneye Will, love the HA, great color on the head and the exposure looks terrific, well done.

[Isaac Grant]

You have a nice low perspective and great pose on the duck. I like the background as well. These birds represent an exposure nightmare and to me your exposure is just off on this and as presented is a deal breaker for me. You have no noticeable details in the black feathers and the whites are all grayed out and also lacking fine feather details. For these birds in direct light you really have to be dead on the sun angle and have the bird at a perfect angle to light up all of the feathers just the right way to get proper exposure and details in the blacks and the whites. I had the same issue recently with the Lesser Scaups I was shooting. I have a ton images that are nice but not great due to either over exposure of the white in the flanks, being just a touch off of the sun angle or the bird being half and inch one way of the other and having the darks being blocked. Takes a bunch of time to get that perfect angle and exposure. Hopefully you get more opportunities with close birds in nice light.

[dankearl]

Ducks in sunlight are a nightmare.... The whites do look overexposed and grayed out.
Very nice angle and colors.

[Daniel Cadieux]

They are tough indeed due to their contrasting plumage, but I love the sheen you got on the head feathers. Sharpness looks great. I photographed this species last week in overcast light (courting and mating no less!!), and although the whites and blacks were easy to deal with then, I have no sheen on the head like you have here.

[David Cowling]

Never seen one of these close up so don't know about the whites but I like what I am seeing. Nice low pov, good background and the duck looks great with nice head turn. TFS

[John Mack]

Nice pose with a nice low angle. The sheen on the head is very nice.

[William Dickson]

Thanks for the comments...The whites especially the ones on the chest were that colour on the RAW.. Don't want to get into the whites/reflection colour again, but I do think the whites on the chest are that colour, due to the water reflecting.

Will

[William Dickson]

They are tough indeed due to their contrasting plumage, but I love the sheen you got on the head feathers. Sharpness looks great. I photographed this species last week in overcast light (courting and mating no less!!), and although the whites and blacks were easy to deal with then, I have no sheen on the head like you have here.

Very tough indeed Dan...You need the sun for the sheen on the head, and the overcast light for the whites.. The perfect light must be the answer.

Will

[Dorian Anderson]

Yeah the whites are a bit grayed but this is still a nice looking shot. As people have pointed out, this bird presents a very difficult exposure. Conditions have to be perfect to get everything right! Biggest concern for me is the beak which looks rough/noisy considering ISO 640 on that - or any - body.

[Arthur Morris]

Agree with Dorian and love the low angle and the bow wake. Getting a sharp eye with ducks like this is a challenge as their pupils seem to float ...

All in all well done.

with love, artie


ps: I keep getting spammed e-mail with your name as the sender. You have been hacked. I did send one back to you ...

[William Dickson]

Agree with Dorian and love the low angle and the bow wake. Getting a sharp eye with ducks like this is a challenge as their pupils seem to float ...

All in all well done.

with love, artie


ps: I keep getting spammed e-mail with your name as the sender. You have been hacked. I did send one back to you ...

Thanks for that Artie...I haven't received any email from you, and I have never sent any to you!!!!! Which email address are they coming from..