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View Full Version : Lady Pintail shows off her wing.



Daniel Cadieux
10-26-2009, 08:09 PM
For most of the past week a very accomodating Long-Tailed Duck (a relative rarity, especially good photo-op-wise) frequented a local urban pond. Of course when I could finally manage to go out, the duck was gone...at least a few fellow photogs got it pretty darn good!

Anyhow, I did get a bonus Northern Pintail, a species I had nothing worthwhile of in my files. Although not rare here during migration, they almost never afford any good opportunities. Maybe not a fully dressed male, but this female did choose a good perch (which I improved by digitally cleaning it from goose poop), and performed nicely before a point-and-shooter overzealously approached and flushed her away - with me in plain view obviously working her. Thank goodness I was in a good mood :)

Canon 40D + 100-400L @330mm, aperture priority, evaluative metering, 1/1600s., f/6.3, ISO 400, +0.3 EC, natural light, handheld, just about full-frame.

Dave Blinder
10-26-2009, 08:27 PM
Very nice Daniel, great light and excellent pose, focus, and bg.

Dan O'Leary
10-26-2009, 08:48 PM
Very nice - the pose, background, colors and sharpness are great.

If I had to change anything I might suggest trying a slightly lower angle.

Harshad Barve
10-26-2009, 10:34 PM
Awesome shot Daniel wih every thing spot on
TFS

Dave Barnes
10-27-2009, 02:23 AM
I like the pose and IQ Daniel. Super detail and well exposed.
Just not sure about the double catch light?

Stu Bowie
10-27-2009, 02:42 AM
Its always great to capture them stretching. Nice and sharp, and love the light quality in this.

arash_hazeghi
10-27-2009, 05:26 AM
Very nice pose, nice BG too. Love all those details. It's not easy to take an appealing photo of a perched duck but you did very well here.

Graham Smith.
10-27-2009, 07:33 AM
Great shot Dan - It was great shooting with you on Sunday
Fantastic pose and sharpness. BG is superb too.
I might be tempted to remove the second catchlight from the water reflection.

Kiran Poonacha
10-27-2009, 08:31 AM
Lovely one Sir, loved the light and pose, sure a lower angle would have added punch, still loved this.. congrats..

Daniel Cadieux
10-27-2009, 09:01 AM
Hey guys thanks. I had started a little lower, before this gal gave me a stretch, but quickly noticed the head was merging with the brown water above...with the brown/blue transition cutting across the head. Not good, so I got up a bit more to clear this problem. Better :-)

Danny Laredo
10-28-2009, 05:48 AM
This is indeed very nice Daniel.
Pose BG and even the rock is excellent.

Daniel Belasco
10-28-2009, 10:31 PM
Beautiful shot with a lovely background.