Barnegat Harlequin Drake

[Charles Scheffold]

Took my first trip out to Barnegat Lighthouse yesterday - man was it windy! Eyes watering, tears down my face, trying not to fall in between the rocks... probably the most difficult conditions I have ever shot in! Having driven 2 1/2 hours, we decided to just find a place to sit down and wait. I was amazed at how the ducks braved the unrelentless chop. Unfortunately there was at least one casualty: one of the Harlequin drakes appeared to be paralyzed, most likely from being bashed against the rocks :(

The combination of high tide and choppy water made it extremely challenging to keep anything in the frame and focused. I tried to wait for (possibly) good angles and fired off bursts, hoping for a miracle. Anyway, I think I ended up with a few decent shots. I set up my tripod low on the rocks and the waves actually helped lift the birds up high enough that the angle turned out much better than I expected. My number one priority was keeping the whites in check, very difficult with these contrasty little guys.

Photographing ducks is a new thing for me - comments are welcome!

Canon 1D4
800/5.6
1/1250s @ f/8, ISO 400
toned down some of the brightest highlights and removed a few distracting water drops that were reflecting the sunlight

thanks
Charles

[Gary Hamilton]

Very nice image in "swell" conditions--lol. Good details throughout. Head angle could be a few degrees more toward viewer but not bad as is. Very well done in difficult circumstances.

[Randy Stout]

Charles:

Interesting story to accompany your image. I like the framing with the swell in lower right corner, really gives a sense about the roughness of the water.

Agree with Gary about the head angle, but is effective as shown.

Ducks are great fun to work.

Glad you survived the day!

Cheers

Randy

[Charles Scheffold]

Thanks Gary and Randy - completely agree about the HA. I too was hoping for just a bit more head turn toward me, but this was the best I got. They were bobbing around so much that finding one with the right HA, in frame, and in focus is a major challenge!

Appreciate the feedback and I look forward to doing it again (on a less windy day :bg3:)

thanks
Charles

[Daniel Cadieux]

Good job in tough conditions. Your text really put in perspective what you endured there! HA mentioned, but you know that already:S3:

You don't indicated which mode you were in, but with the light constant on your subject "Manual" is the way to go...with no worries about exposure once correct techs are dialed in.

I love photographing ducks, you'll find them to be entertaining subjects to deal with.

[Pieter de Waal]

Lovely image Charles good exposure and IQ considering the conditions. Like the waves BG and FG framing the subject nicely.

[denise ippolito]

Charles, You did a great job considering the conditions. It is so hard to lock focus on the moving targets in the rough surf and you did well. Be careful out there that Jetty can be very dangerous. :S3:

[Charles Scheffold]

Thanks Denise, Pieter, Daniel...

Since it was my first time, I was a bit uncomfortable on the jetty. I shot with the 800 in the morning but switched to the 70-200 II + 2x in the afternoon. It's not easy dragging a big tripod and lens across those rocks! I'll be better prepared next time but I will offer one bit of advice to anyone going there: do not walk around while looking at the birds, keep yours eyes on your feet!

Daniel - I always shoot in manual. Just had to keep adjusting because I was shooting gulls and brants in between the harlequins. Did not want to blow out the whites on that one good shot :)

thanks
Charles