Male Bufflehead.

[dankearl]

Taken last January.
D500, 500pf, f5.6, 1/1600, iso640

2DS_6991fbp.jpg (http://www.birdphotographers.net/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=186598&stc=1&d=1590527540)

[Brian Sump]

Dan, I really love this. Not much else to offer.

[Jay Ing]

I love this shot. Wouldn't mind a little more space but that's just me. TFS.

[David Roach]

Sublime, just sublime... The EXP, details, pose water droplets and water. TFS

[gail bisson]

Great POV, nice calm water, perfect head turn and exposure looks good.
The iridescence shows well and I love the water droplets.
My only issue would be that the whites on the chest look a bit greyed out? Did you have to do some recovery of those whites?
Very nice Dan!

[dankearl]

Thanks Gail,
I probably did, I processed this a couple months ago, I shoot, process, move on
so I cannot tell you exactly but I thought the same when I posted.
I did not attempt redo the file, I just posted it.
Since it is a Bufflehead, I assume the whites were kind of hot.

[Dorian Anderson]

I echo all the positives - angle, iridescence, drops, composition - but also agree the bird looks very grayed compared to how they appear in the field. I think you're exposure was probably spot on giving the detail you reveal,
we're just not used to seeing that detail in real life, the glowing white flanks being trademark for this bird. I'd pull back on the highlight recovery a good deal. You have so much headroom you'll retain some nice detail even
after you fill in the whites a bit. Bird really cracks on the brown, and will do more so when brightened a bit.

[John Mack]

The low angle is right on. Love the color and water drops on the head.