King Eider

[Matthew Studebaker]

Barrow, Alaska | June | Canon 1D4 | Canon 600mm f4 IS with 1.4x convertor | f6.3, 1/2000 ISO 200

I never get tired of these guys!

[dankearl]

Wow, not much more to say.
Focus about as good as it gets, I like the FG and BG.
A nitpick would be the crop.
A bit more vertical and less Horizontal, but it is just a preference.
Really good.

[Daniel Cadieux]

I wouldn't get tired of these guys either!! Awesome colours, and I like the overall warm colours to the habitat and BG. I'd eliminate the small black spot along the bottom edge at left...but all else is terrific.

[carole wiley]

Wow indeed! Love the detail in the breast and wonderful colors, bird and foreground/background. An overall pleasing image. I can't think of anything that could make it better.

[Sidharth Kodikal]

Absolutely fantastic Mathew. Just love the comp, setting and especially the pose.
Would love to see this wonderful specie some day.
I'd evict the black in the bottom edge as Daniel pointed out and also the minor halo around the bird.
Lovely work. TFS.

[Aidan Briggs]

Lovely tundra setting and soft light. Perfect exposure and comp too. Well done!

[arash_hazeghi]

excellent pose and nice details a very handsome bird!

[christopher galeski]

beautiful image,of a beautiful bird,nice BG,colors.lighting,detail,well done and thanks.

[RakeshDhareshwar]

Awesome image , Matthew !! Just perfect !

[Grace Scalzo]

A real treat to view, Matthew. Thanks.

[Wynand van Wyk]

Beautiful bird and a lovely capture. Great colours and also very nice IQ!

Superb!:S3:

[Grady Weed]

I have only seen these guys in the cold waters up here in Maine off of the Kennebunk coast. They love the rough surf and hide in the groups of common eiders.

This is excellent all the way around. Good exposure, nice balanced setting, a different bg for a change, instead of the ocean, shows the colors of the head nicely. Love the head tucked as it is.

[Kaustubh Deshpande]

Matthew, as good a habitat shot as it gets. loved the BG, colors, IQ and pose. Your shots from last year were also all terrific.

[noelle zaleski]

Love the environment in this image as well as the bird. wonderful capture!