Common Eider Portrait

[Axel Hildebrandt]

Photographed on Cape Cod. The Eiders were so cooperative that they often got too close and didn't fit in the frame anymore and I made some portraits.

http://www.pbase.com/axelhi/image/121214663/original.jpg

1D4, 500f4, 1.4x, 1/1250s, f/11, EC -0.33, ISO 400

[Markus Jais]

I like the tight crop and the open mouth. Wish the water was a little calmer but you can't influence that!

Markus

[Rich Steel]

Hi Axel

Another great image, excellent exposure control on a tricky subject. The open beak adds to the photo and thinking about it, not a pose I have seen an eider in before. There is a great place for eider in the UK which is at Seahouses in the North East where you catch the boat out to the Farne Islands. The birds there loiter around the harbour and will come to bread!

You are getting some lovely results with the Mk4. Mine should be arriving tomorrow (hopefully) but the forecast is looking grim for the rest of the week.

Cheers

Rich

[Don Lacy]

Wonderful control of the whites and I like how you can see just a touch of blue iridescence in the blacks.

[Nancy A Elwood]

Axel this is sooooo good!! The mouth open is a plus and your exposure is so spot on. Well done!!

[Marina Scarr]

This picture really rocks! I think the movement of the water adds a component to this image which you wouldn't get without it. The open beak just puts it over the top.

[Randy Stout]

Axel:

Very nice, like the subtle colors, texture in feathers, exposure and open mouth.

I like the wave action as well.

Cheers

Randy

[Danny J Brown]

I'm loving your portraits, Axel. Great catch with its bill open and the water is downright silky, even though its rough.

[Lana Hays]

Axel
Now I'm drooling....this is incredible. Where in Cape Cod? I'm thinking that I may "need a few mental health days" in the near future. I've missed Eiders everywhere I've been.

[Steve Maxson]

Another beauty, Axel. Excellent sharpness, the open bill is a big plus, and I love the subtle hues in the greens and whites. On my monitor the blacks around the eye look very dark - maybe selectively brighten them just a bit? Well done.

[Axel Hildebrandt]

Axel
Now I'm drooling....this is incredible. Where in Cape Cod? I'm thinking that I may "need a few mental health days" in the near future. I've missed Eiders everywhere I've been.

Thanks, Lana! I made this after photographing the Ivory Gull. This was in the Provincetown harbor and there was a flock of eiders that seemed to be quite used to people. There are some floating jettys and you can be pretty much at eye level with the birds.

[Marina Scarr]

It seems you're getting more sun up there than we are down here in not-so-sunny Florida!

[David Thomasson]

Beautiful details. I was curious to see if there might be more, lurking within, from that 1D4. Even in this small jpeg, I was
surprised by the shadow details in and around the eye. Starting with the raw, I'll bet a good bit more could be drawn
out of this nice portrait.

http://img682.imageshack.us/img682/8278/axell.jpg

[Axel Hildebrandt]

Thanks for the repost, David! It would be possible to lighten it more but the iris is dark brown and the blacks quite dark and I didn't want to overdo it.

[Bonnie Block]

Wow--this is amazing, Axel. I have never seen one of these birds.
I love everything about it--the blacks look a bit dark for me as well. I do like the repost.

[DanWalters]

Really like the way the repost brings out a little more detail around the eye. Like the open bill as well.

[Stu Bowie]

Lovely detail Axel, and the open beak adds to the image. Exposure looks good too.

[Kiran Poonacha]

loved the expo here Bhai, the open beak showing the tongue puts this over the top.. congrats.

[Ofer Levy]

Awesome exposure control and detail.

[Grace Scalzo]

Lovely, Axel. Great pose with that open beak and a great speciman with the breeding plumage.

[Ákos Lumnitzer]

Good work Axel! I like the fact that you want to make it look as you observed it. :)