Horned Grebe

[Bob Malbon]

http://bob-malbon-photo.smugmug.com/photos/479265971_A8NMM-L.jpg

From just before Sunset on Saturday at Pine Pt. Maine - From the floating Lobster dock which give you water level vantage low or high tide. Horned Grebes are only here on the coast dressed in their Winter plumage.
1DMk3 on 500f4 at iso400, 1/1000, f6.3, manual exp., AIservo, 50%+ crop, hand held. Bob

[Daniel Cadieux]

I like it overall...nice head turn for you. There is some odd blurriness and lack of detail on the breast and back - did you do something in those areas in PP? I would also tone down the dark patch below the chin as it distracts from the face and crop a bit below - the extra space down there doesn't add much to the comp.

[Doug Brown]

Good points by Daniel. I agree that much of the plumage looks unnaturally blurred. I would crop some off the bottom and add a little canvas up top.

[Bob Malbon]

Thanks Guys, I noticed that I screwed up the Quick Mask and ran noise reduction on some of the darker areas of the Grebe when I was smoothing out the water - will fix! Bob

[Grady Weed]

I will say the red eye is a nice plus Bob. I went down to the lobster dock yesterday, Sunday, looking for ducks. I found some eiders, a tad skittish however. No images. The storm was all at night so no wave or action images either. I wonder if the storm made the ducks nervous and they hid out on us? Keep them coming Bob. I hope to meet up with you sometime for a shoot.

[Axel Hildebrandt]

Great find, adding to the other comments, I would tone down the highlights more.