Spray and Play

[Cheryl Arena Molennor]

I finally had a great day of shooting after about a 3 month slump. Great light great stuff and great company. I spent the morning out at Ft. DeSoto with my friend Marina and a few of her friends as well as some other photographers we both have shot with before. I decided to listen to my gut and go wade in a different area first light while they stayed on dry land getting the local baby owl . I missed a great shot of what they were shooting but got so many images I am pretty happy with. I know to listen to that gut feeling and I felt it calling me to this area. I found the mergansers I was looking for and was able to wade right up to them in some really nice light getting some great photo ops.Then we all met up and had way too much fun with some more great photo ops. This is the first image I have worked and the last for the night as I am exhausted and am going out again first thing tomorrow. I got some great wing flaps but I really like the playfulness of this image with the spray of water and the open bill. This was one of the last ones of the morning.
Camera Model Canon EOS-1D Mark III
Shooting Date/Time 3/15/2012 10:15:36 AM
Shooting Mode Manual Exposure
Tv( Shutter Speed ) 1/1600
Av( Aperture Value ) 10.0
ISO Speed 640
Lens EF300mm f/2.8L IS USM +2.0x
C&C always thanks

[Grace Scalzo]

It is an adorable pose, Cheryl. Really love how I can see the feet showing through the water.

[Satish Ranadive]

Fabulous image. Great pose with open beak captured. Loved the details no the bird and flash of water.

[Jonathan Ashton]

Lovely shot Cheryl, the exposure is spot on. Love the droplets and the open bill. Wish I had your enthusiasm to wade in but even with chest waders it would be a bit brass monkey temperature here.

[Mark Itol]

Great action captured here, Cheryl! Love the water droplets. Excellent detail and superb job on the exposure. Very nice.

[Melissa Groo]

Cheryl! So glad to hear you had such a wonderful time. And that you listened to your gut. I really like the action here, and the water droplets. Some kind of dust/smudge in ULC I would get rid of. Great job on exposure, esp with the sun looking fairly high. Looking forward to seeing more from the outing!!

[Stu Bowie]

Hi Cheryl, you just make photography sound like so much fun - well it is if you have everything going for you, and you come away with winners - good on you. :w3

Back to the image. Well timed for the bathing behaviour, and just love the flying water droplets. Overall tack sharp, and the light looks good in this. If anything, following the line of the bill towards the ULC, there is a brown 'mark' that doesnt seem to belong to the rest of the blue water BG. I would blend it in. :w3 OK, just read Melissa's comment, she spotted it too.

[Cheryl Arena Molennor]

Cheryl! So glad to hear you had such a wonderful time. And that you listened to your gut. I really like the action here, and the water droplets. Some kind of dust/smudge in ULC I would get rid of. Great job on exposure, esp with the sun looking fairly high. Looking forward to seeing more from the outing!!

What is that spot? Not a dust bunny must be the water but i shall rid of it !!! Thanks girl.

[Randy Stout]

Cheryl:

You had fun, the merganser is having fun, what could be better.

Nice techs, comp and timing.

When I looked at the bill, it reminds me of the smiling look dolphins have, very cool.

Cheers


Randy

[Don Lacy]

Wonderful image Cherly love the all the water drops flying off the Merganser

[Cheryl Arena Molennor]

Hi Cheryl, you just make photography sound like so much fun - well it is if you have everything going for you, and you come away with winners - good on you. :w3

Back to the image. Well timed for the bathing behaviour, and just love the flying water droplets. Overall tack sharp, and the light looks good in this. If anything, following the line of the bill towards the ULC, there is a brown 'mark' that doesnt seem to belong to the rest of the blue water BG. I would blend it in. :w3 OK, just read Melissa's comment, she spotted it too.

It IS fun don't you think? I can't ever get enough.:wave:

[Frank Schauf]

A great dynamic image, congratulations Cheryl.