The Drop.

I usually prefer more water action in my bathing shorebird images, but the single levitating drop was way too cool:c3:. A had a fun "fall shorebird migration" kick-off week recently, all common species, but all fun to photograph. My favorite family of birds to photograph during my favorite time of the year to photograph them! This one an adult Least Sandpiper.

Canon 7DII + 500mm f/4 II + 1.4TC III, manual exposure, evaluative metering, 1/1250s., f/5.6, ISO 400, natural light, handheld, small crop for comp, eye work.

This is simply stunning Dan! I'm a sucker for minimalism and this takes the cake. The colors are beautiful and the water droplet is just so good! The low POV is awesome, did you photograph the bird from a kayak?

The drop is great; but what does it for me is the oof foreground/background and the narrow focus plane of water on which the bird is "perched". A classic example of your signature low POV at work.

This is money precisely because of the lack of action. It makes us wonder where the heck the drop came from. You could not have asked for a better - i.e. lower - shooting angle. This is a really lovely and unique frame.

This is about as low as she goes. That single drop is great. Nice light and a nice pose on the bird.

Very sweet Dan, i think a little more round of head sharpening, and there is also a vertical directly below waterline/lone drop... I like the simplicity and then wham, the elegance!

I echo the comments here...there is a dreamlike quality to this image, supported by the oof FG and BG. I agree with Ann, as the head looks a tad soft to me. Your low POV is classic and a lesson for us all. TFS

Thanks guys!

I'll check out the sharpeneing on the face, but I am sure that is the result of the wet feathers. The vertical line below the drop is that drop's reflection:S3:.

Aditya, I was lying as flat as I could in the wet mud/shallow water.

Beautiful low perspective on this worn adult. No worries, the juvies should be there as well. I had a juvie Semi-P at Nickerson last week along the surf ...

with love, artie

This is gorgeous Daniel.
Absolutely no nits from me!
Love, love the drop.
Gail

Excellent low angle. Water looks so good.

Did you clone out any elements on the water or was it so clean ?

Thanks Krishna! It was so clean. The shallow water along the river, when it is not windy, is very beautiful as you see here.