Hooded Mergansarrgghh!

[Daniel Cadieux]

I got a brief but excellent session with some Hooded Mergansers recently. This particular image, which I intentionally titled the way I did, could have been the best in the series, but is not...why do I feel this way enough that I titled it this way? Don;t get mr wrong, I like the image, but this one thing could have made it much better....

Canon 7DII + 500mm f/4 II + 1.4TC III, manual exposure, evaluative metering, 1/1250s., f/5.6, ISO 400, natural light, handheld, small crop after image leveling, toned down some of the whites on the body, and a few misplaced water drops removed from the eye area.

[John Mack]

Looking great overall. Nice low angle and pose. The water drop off the bill is very nice.

[Bill Dix]

I would be thrilled with this one. Hoodies, in my experience, are almost as skittish as Wood Ducks, at least around here. I suppose a head turn of one degree might have put it over the top; or perhaps had he raised his crest to the fullest extent. Both are minor nits in my book.

[David Roach]

It's got to be something out of your control (of which I've thought there was nothing)... Low angle, check... perfectly parallel (whole bird) to the sensor, check...perfect exposure for the light, check... Most perfect drop I've seen at the bills end, check... It's either the pose as Bill suggests or perhaps light was ever so slightly harsh.

ps
You still make me sick... But I hope after 5 kids and 35 years working, one day I'll grow up to be you...

[Krishna Prasad kotti]

I think everything looks good. Little bit of head turn will definitely help

[gail bisson]

I think you wanted a better head turn and perhaps that the water drop was fully separated from the bill.
Lovely image none the less.
The light was beautiful and your POV is perfect (as always).
The whites on the crest are perfectly exposed for.
I like it!
Gail

[Aditya Sridhar]

I love the colors in this shot, Dan! That water droplet adds a lot of interest too. I'm with Bill re. the crest not being fully raised. Personal preference, but I'd remove some room off the top and add some to the bottom. Awesome low POV as usual.

[Daniel Cadieux]

Hey guys, thanks, glad you like it!! I do too... But I do wish the head was angled a degree or two our way, rather than ever so sightly away. That is my "arrgghh":t3

P.S. Lol at David's comment. 4 kids and 10 years left to work - I'm catching up to you!