Common Loon Portrait 2

[Gary Esman]

Hello, thought I would share another Loon from last weekend. The most difficult bird I ever shot to get the exposure right. I liked this one for the neck detail and colors. I have formed a new respect for those Loons that look so good on this forum. I realize the light was a little harsh, does this work? Thanks and C and C appreciated.

7D, 1/1600, iso 640, f/7.1, 700 mm.

Gary.

[Jonathan Ashton]

I think the plumage is absolutely superb, in fact I hesitate to offer any criticism... butI think the tip of the bill is just ever so slightly out of focus.

[carole wiley]

It works very nicely. I think I would try cropping even tighter from the right and really bring that eye into prominence. Great detail in the head and neck, the colors in the black are hard to get.

[Randy Stout]

Gary:

Another nice one, nice eye, sharp, you maintained some detail in the breast, which isn't easy to do.

I would also crop a bit from the right, as Carole suggested.

I do think there is a green color cast here, so tried to adjust this using Robert O'tooles average blur technique.

I have looked at a few loons, and thought this looked more accurate. Can easily be adjusted to taste.

Cheers

Randy

[Cheryl Arena Molennor]

I love these guys and this one looks so content and sweet. The detail looks great and I like the color of the water. If only the bill was super sharp as noted. Still a very nice image and one that I would like to achieve someday myself.

[Gary Esman]

Thanks appreciate the input! Randy you are correct there is a green cast. Yours looks more natural. Most likely the white balance I used, will try again.

Thanks Carole and Randy for the cropping suggestion.

Thanks Jonathon, my DOF that close was a little off:S3:

Gary.

[Gary Esman]

Thanks Cheryl appreciate that! That is what makes this so much fun for me is there is always another bird species to try and get that awesome shot.

Gary.

[Alan Murphy]

Love the detail. The shadow across the eye is not working for me.

[Stu Bowie]

Gary, good colours on the head, sharp, and I like your low angle of capture. I would maybe move him back to the right a little, and have a little more space on the left.

[Keith Carver]

Nice sharp loon with beautiful BG. OOF bill, eye shadow and burned breast feathers are minor nits, as noted. The bird seems tight in the frame to me. As slow as these birds are, you could try shooting with slower shutter speed and greater depth of field.

[Wynand van Wyk]

Superb exposure and great feather detail as well. Like the background colours too! Ditto on the above comments.

Well done!:S3:

[Grady Weed]

Like Randy Stout I have seen and photographed many Loons. Time of day, light conditions, water reflection, the right lens and angle are critical to obtaining the perfect image or a great one. The light is a bit harsh. But you got spot on the head colors. Nice head angle. The shadow across the neck does not bother me nor across the eye. What time of day were you at? Where was the sun? Try early morning or late evening and get them in the darker waters for more deep colors and less reflective light. I have however imaged them in 2 o clock bright light. Just go under about 2 stops and shoot at F8.0 Thanks for sharing here.

[Andrew Merwin]

Love the detail. The shadow across the eye is not working for me.

Is it a shadow or a nictitating membrane? I think it is a nictitating membrane.

I agree that there seems to be a green cast & I also agree with the suggestion to crop from the RHS.

I really like the eye in this image. It is sharp & well exposed. Well done.

[Gary Esman]

Like Randy Stout I have seen and photographed many Loons. Time of day, light conditions, water reflection, the right lens and angle are critical to obtaining the perfect image or a great one. The light is a bit harsh. But you got spot on the head colors. Nice head angle. The shadow across the neck does not bother me nor across the eye. What time of day were you at? Where was the sun? Try early morning or late evening and get them in the darker waters for more deep colors and less reflective light. I have however imaged them in 2 o clock bright light. Just go under about 2 stops and shoot at F8.0 Thanks for sharing here.

Thanks Grady, This was taken at approx. 4:30 pm. The sun was dancing in and out of clouds, right before a large cluster of clouds moved in.

[Gary Esman]

Is it a shadow or a nictitating membrane? I think it is a nictitating membrane.

I agree that there seems to be a green cast & I also agree with the suggestion to crop from the RHS.

I really like the eye in this image. It is sharp & well exposed. Well done.


Thanks Andrew, good eye, I believe both the shadow and the nictitating membrane are present in this shot. Maybe not the best pick out of the series.:S3:

Gary.