Warm Goose, Cold Photographer

[Nancy Bell]

There were a few Canada Geese feeding under some sort of fruit tree, maybe cherry, and grabbing the fruit that the waxwings were dropping. I caught this one with a cherry in his mouth. Snow covered the ground and those dense goose feathers and down looked toasty :).

Photographed from inside the car but still cold :D.
Canon 7D, Canon 400 f4 DO, ISO 400, 1/500, f8, exp. comp. +1 2/3

Comments and critiques very welcome.

[Tony Whitehead]

Well done to get the eye so nice and sharp, Nancy. I agree the plumage looks lovely and warm - wonder if a little fill flash may not have added a further element of warmth to the bird. Berry and snow on the bill capture the feel of the moment well but the snow does lose a bit of definition against the BG - fill flash may have enabled under-exposing the BG a little and defining the bird a bit more clearly against it

[Dan Busby]

Nancy - I am glad you explained the red spots on the snow or else I might have thought it to be some predatory carnage! For me, this shot is all about the head, with the snow on the beak and the berry in the mouth. Very nice timing. I see some square artifacts in the UR corner.

[Stu Bowie]

Sharp where it counts Nancy, and love the open beak.

[Nancy Bell]

Fill flash is a great idea. I need to think of that more often. And thanks for pointing out those artifacts. I added a bit of canvas on the right and missed blending it in properly in the UR corner.