Eared Grebe - After The Dive

[Jeff Cashdollar]

Techs:
Canon 40D
Canon 400MM 5.6
f/5.6
1/2500
EV=0
ISO=400
Morning Light (front light)
HH
BB (-3)

Workflow:
LRII (small crop and +1/3 exposure push)---interface CS4 (selective sharpen, Topaz, Levels, Selective Colors, minor cloning smooth out reflections in water)

[Arthur Morris]

Sharp, good head angle. Some of the blacks look blocked. I do not mind the wet look but the brillinat reflections off the rear of the bird are very distracting to me. I am confused as to where the light was coming from but it was on the harsh side.

[Daniel Cadieux]

Hey Jeff, cute little subject. Apt title with that all-wet look! Tough exposure conditions with the bright reflections on the back being burnt, and some of the blacks being blocked. Even with sunlight sometimes flash can be a good idea to help with those blacks. A lower angle (if at all possible where you took this image from) would have been a good option to give a more intimiate view of your subject, but as presented I feel a crop from the top would strenghten the comp. Did you clone some stuff where the neck meets the water? There seems to be a some PP evidence in that area.

Grebes don't tend to let us get anywhere close enough for worthwhile images up here - lucky for you to witness them within photo range! P.S. I like the colour you got in the water, very nice :-)

[Arthur Morris]

Dan, try the tape....

[Daniel Cadieux]

Dan, try the tape....

Yes I should!! :)

[Jeff Cashdollar]

Interesting day with this one, he is a vagrant in these parts. Let me explain the situation, it was morning light but from the front, his back. I have read this can be an opportunity for a silhouette. I was looking for an area of bright lighting behind my subject, switching to manual, spot and trying and lose all detail.Then I noticed the fantastic eye on this guy. I strapped on the BB, dialed in -3 and hit the switch. On my histogram, there are no clips. I agree on the shinny spot, so it goes. This is a challenging subject to capture, I will post a second image tomorrow, thanks for the feedback.

Dan, I was as low as possible (shoreline), I used the BB (-3) and was within 10 feet of the subject at one time. Look for the second post tomorrow.

[Ákos Lumnitzer]

If it were a touch higher in the frame that would be better for me. I like the wet look too mate. Boy, 10 feet? You are lucky. If anything, you can close the aperture down a touch for a little more DOF. Well done!