Long Tailed Duck This Morning

[Jim Fenton]

There hasn't been squat to create images of in our neck of the woods the past few weeks. I did get lucky and found a Long Tailed Duck for my first of the season.

Yes...the head looks hot, but it's not blown and these birds do have exceedingly white heads.

Nikon D300s, 500 VR, TC14EII, ISO 500, f7.1, 1/2000, NearUniWB, CW, 0 EV

[Mital Patel]

beautiful shot this. nice freeze. catch light also good and tail coming out from water adds nice balance.

Sorry if i ask too much but i wish for a little more lower angle which may possibliy add more interest towards the head. as the head looks bit on movement and mix up with the bg which may got solved in lower angle.

[Danny J Brown]

Hi Jim: I've been following your work for so long, even before I found BPN, that I'm a bit nervous to even comment. I love ducks and this is not an exception. Very cool the way the long tail is sticking up out of the water and the eye has a unique reflection of light that I find compelling. Glad you mentioned something about the whites. On really white birds, I've always felt that our eye actually sees a blown out image as well so we can only do so much with our photos and PP. Finally, I think what really brings this one home is the wavy, blue water. I can't wait to go downstairs and look at this on my big screen. Note: It almost looks like it needs to be rotated CCW few degrees when I look at the water. Thanks.

[Jim Fenton]

Hi Mital...a lower angle wasn't possible where I was positioned unless I dug a hole :)

Danny...never be afriad to comment! I did rotate it a bit when I cropped from the original...perhaps I went a tad to far.

[Nicki Gwynn Jones]

Hi Jim,
I love this as presented - especially the tail! This is a new species for me - wouldn't change a thing.
Best, Nicki

[Axel Hildebrandt]

Cool wing-flap pose, eye contact and sharpness, I particularly like that we can see the long tail. The water looks good, too. I'm not sure if it needs rotation, it looks pretty straight to me.

[denise ippolito]

Jim, It's a lovely pose w/ great detail in the wing. It is nice to see the tail. I think it looks straight also. Really cool looking eye. Nicely done.

[Betsie Storm]

Jim, Nothing to add except that it is a great image; what I like most is underwing detail, tail & wing shapes complementing each other and the blue of the water. Great sighting after the "nothing":)

[Doug Brown]

Super detail in the wings and I like the curled up tail. The head turn is perfect. I'll trust you on the whites. The eye looks a little pixelated on my monitor.

[Harshad Barve]

beautiful image , lovely wing pose and IQ here
TFS

[Raymond Barlow]

wow Jim, wish they were here this early... nice shot!