Mallard with D300

[Shellie Dallas]

This was a shot from this am that I decided to post when I saw Oscars pic, it is similar and I thought would be a good comparison of lenses since he has been asking about the sharpness of his tamron. This is with my D300, a little levels adj, camera raw and eye sharpening. Although whoever it was who helped sharpen my raccoons eye....could you give me those steps of eye sharpening you used??? Thanks! Please give any cc.

300mm 2.8 VR (with 2X tc)
1/250 at 5.6
0 flash
600mm
0 exposure comp.
ISO 800

[Lance Peters]

Hi Shellie - Lots of ways to sharpen the eye - bets is to do on a seperate layer etc - but usually I don't bother going that far until I am ready to print etc.

Use the selection tool - 3rd icon down in P.S - Use whichever of these is easiest for you.
Select obly the eye
Optional step - sometimes I will alos goto image/adjustments shadow/highlight - to see if this makes any improvements
FIlter - Sharoen -USM

Adjust until you are happy.

Looks like this fellow has been having fun in the bushes - love the little bits of leaves on his head.

:)

[Shellie Dallas]

Thanks, Lance....I do use sharpen-USM so maybe not too bad then. Thanks!

[Gail Spitler]

Shellie
What a neat surround for your drake. Yep, it is a male Mallard in "eclipse" plumage whereas Oscar's Mallard is a female. Note the difference in bill color. Really nice to see the two side by side. Your male will change back to the standard breeding plumage in a few weeks. They tend to want to really hide out at this time of year which is the reason for the camo plumage and perhaps this unusual habitat.
I think it's a terrific image, good eye contact, interesting background, sharp, good exposure. Well done.
Gail

[Shellie Dallas]

Thank you Gail for the info male vs female....didn't know that! Thanks for the nice words too!!!

[Alfred Forns]

Hi Shellie Very lovely image !!!

The duck looks great in that bg Just feels good !!! Would consider a crop which will place the eye more on the intercepting third !!!

btw that lens you have is one of the sharpest in the Nikon Line up and capable of critically sharp images with converters !!!

[Shellie Dallas]

Thanks again Al!! I had some difficulty with this crop...there were other mallards around this one I was trying to isolate this one in particular. I do love the lens, so much that my others are lacking in useage!! LOL and I need the practice I know but wherever I go I usually have it on my Gitzo tripod and over the shoulder!!!! Great lens I agree! Thanks for the kind words!

[Katie Rupp]

Shellie, what I really like about this image is how natural he looks in his habitat and the ferns are wonderful. Keep them coming.

[Arthur Morris]

Nicely done. Love the COMP and the head decorations. Good job by Gail on the sexing; note also the dark green crown (that the female does not have).

[Shellie Dallas]

Thank you Artie!!! Thanks for the tip guys on the sexing....It didnt occur to me! You all are great!!! I have been learning so much in the last 2 weeks since I have joined!!!! One problem though.....like photography it's addicting!!!! :-)

[Shellie Dallas]

Oh! What about the eye color??? Oscar posted a similar image but it was a female??? The eye color looked to be more red and black, where as this guys was pure black.......