Male Hooded Merganser

[David Hemmings]

This male HM was splashing around in the water when I took this image. I was happy to get the water flowing around the chest.

Canon 1D MK 111 / Canon 400 f5.6 / 1/2500th @ f5.6 ISO 320



http://avianart.smugmug.com/Nature/Shore-Birds-and-Waterfowl/Hoody-7-web/708112362_nisn9-O.jpg

[James Salywoda]

I love the water flowing over the ducks body a very sweet image David...

[Kaustubh Deshpande]

Nice shot. Love that spalshing water. I envy you as the mergansers in the pond that I shoot dont let me get close (which I will need to get so low). Do you have one with a better head angle. If this were mine, I would have removed the catchlight. Pulling down the contrast in RAW conversion might help the whites and the yellow IMO.

But a very neat image as-is. congrats.

KD

[ChasMcRae]

Best part of the shot is the surging water over the breast. Technically rest of shot is great however would have preferred a little more room behind tail which would help show the wake also.
Personally I love this species but have nothing as good as this.

[philperry]

Super close view David. Great shot. Great duck. I love the eye.

[Graham Smith.]

very nice capture David!
I was hoping to have one of these to post from this morning, but couldn't get anywhere close enough.
Water coming over the chest is a nice effect. Very sharp and good exp. I do feel it is a little tight though.
nice work!

[Stu Bowie]

These ducks have interesting shaped heads, and that yellow eye really stands out. I like the wave in the water. Adding some space to the right will work.

[arash_hazeghi]

Beautiful David, love the details. wish for just slightly better HA. TFS

[Matt Vosniak]

Almost looks as if he is packed in ice David. Excellent timing and detail. Great capture.

[Malcolm Benn]

Excellent image David .. the wall of water is very unique :)

[Rohan Kamath]

loved the splash of water...very interesting species... not something we see here... Thanks for sharing...

[Clement Francis]

David those ducks over there are so cool for photography even with a 400mm lens. Here in India even with a 2000mm lens you will get only 10% of the frame of any migratory duck :-(

As always your master class is applied all over the image, the clarity and water are just too good.

[Kiran Poonacha]

one more vote for more space in front and back, loved the timing here, cool looking cuck and colours too.. congrats..