Northern Pintail Portrait.

[Daniel Cadieux]

We do not see these guys up close here, only usually during migration and very far away in flooded fields. A female overwintered in a local duck pond with dozens of mallards, and recently a male has joined her - and they have bonded. They are also rather trusting of human presence, no doubt due to all the mallards showing them the way:bg3: This is providing exciting opportunities for us that do not normally get to photograph this species. Here is one when the male swam by close, and away form the distracting oof mallard BGs.

Canon R6 + 500mm f/4 II + 1.4TC III, manual exposure, evaluative metering, 1/2500s., f/5.6, ISO 400 (in hindsight I had a lot of room to stop down, but it still turned out good enough for me), small crop to help the comp, handheld while prone on the ground, a few minor imperfections removed in the water via spot removal tool. Some larger specular highlights also removed from the bill.

P.S. There is one thing that bothers me with this image, can you guess?

[Kurt Bowman]

Really nice portrait of this Pintail Daniel! Very sharp, love the complimentary colors throughout the image. Not sure what bothers you about the image??? Perhaps the blueish color of the water in front of the wading duck? If so, it doesn't bother me, water is blue sometimes.

[Arthur Morris]

Love the bow wake, the perfect head angle, the low perspective, and the soft light. And the duck.

with love, artie

[Dorian Anderson]

This is really, really nice, especially on the pink water. I think have some really good headshots of this bird, but I'd trade them all for this one. The details are fabulous. Low angle, bow waves, and clean water make this a very impactful frame.

As to what bothers you, I might guess the shadow on the chin. I hope I'm right cuz that'll seem so, so nit-picky if it's wrong!

[Colin Driscoll]

As already said, a great image in a number of areas. The bothersome bit? I would dislike the almost featureless cavity at the back.

[Jonathan Ashton]

Very nice indeed, I particularly like the features in the bill, nothing bugs me on this one Dan.

[William Dickson]

Looking real good Dan....Super detail and HA. The colours throughout the image are very pleasing to the eye. I can't think what would bug you, all looks good to me.....maybe the blue colours on the bow wake, but you would have adjusted that...I think all looks cool.

Will

[Volkan Akgul]

hi Daniel,

congratulations

[Daniel Cadieux]

Hey thanks gang!

I do love the blue wake in front. What bugs me is the triangle shaped part of the shadow below the chin. I still love the image, but my eye just keeps going there in a negative way. Way to go Dorian!

[Andreas Liedmann]

Lovely portrait of this Duck , technically very nice and i do not mind the shadow under the chin .
Just do find the crop a bit awkward , i would loose some of the RHS .

TFS Andreas