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Thread: Hooded Mergansers Silhouette.

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    Super Moderator Daniel Cadieux's Avatar
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    Default Hooded Mergansers Silhouette.

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    A young family of Hooded Mergansers has delighted many this year at a local park. There were 14 hatchlings at first (I missed those...too busy at that time), and they eventually dwindlwed down to 6 survivors. This is two of them sharing a favorite perch. Taken just as the sun was starting to peek over the trees. I knew the light angle would be wrong so early in the morning from the side of the pond, but there was access to position myself for silhouettes, so I concentrated on this technique first. The trick for success here with two subjects was to wait for two good head angles for good profiles...and I really wanted the two to face each other. It took a while, but patience paid off!

    Canon 7D + 100-400L @400mm, manual exposure, evaluative metering, 1/1600s., f/8, ISO 800, handheld, oh and no eye doctoring here!!

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    Hi,

    Indeed - beautiful. The position of the 2 heads, i.e. the birds appear to be having a relaxing intimate moment, is great, as are the silhouette and the sky color. I also like that you can see the sky through the nostrils. Maybe remove the feather sticking out from the right hand bird?

    Richard

    Richard

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    Nice one, Daniel. You are a romantic, I see...

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    Lifetime Member gail bisson's Avatar
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    very nice Daniel.
    I like the displaced feather personally but otherwise agree with Richards' comments,
    gail

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    I really like this Daniel. I like that the light shows thru the bills, the birds positions and the stray feather on the right..

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    Hi Daniel.

    Wonderful image. I really like silhouettes, and having two subjects in apparent interaction really puts the image over the top. Well done.

    Roger

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    This rocks on many levels....emotional, aesthetic, etc.
    Great to see a high quality silhouette not taken in Florida :)

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    One of the best, beautiful images of silhouette I have seen so far.Love the interaction between two of them and the superb sky colors.
    Regards.

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    Forum Participant christopher galeski's Avatar
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    very nice Daniel,I like the feather sticking up,and whats that orange and yellowBG,is it the sun setting,a very rare sight here in the UK.THANKS.

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    Super Moderator Daniel Cadieux's Avatar
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    Thanks all! The background is actually water, with the top "vignetting" the top of reflected trees.

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    Ofer Levy
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    This is really pretty! I love it!

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    Avian Moderator Randy Stout's Avatar
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    Daniel:


    A very simplified image (which is good) Strong colors, birds reduced to their most basic form/shape, good interaction.

    Well done.

    Cheers

    Randy
    MY BPN ALBUMS

    "Tact is the art of making a point without making an enemy" Sir Isaac Newton

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    Lifetime Member Rachel Hollander's Avatar
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    Daniel - your patience paid off big time. Gorgeous in all respects! I too like the stray feather.

    TFS,
    Rachel

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    Wonderful, Daniel, such a lovely atmospheric image, with a nice sense of interaction, and great comp and sharpness. My favorite part is the light coming through the nares.

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    Great shot, Daniel. loved the head positions, the color, the dark band at the top...the size in the frame...would not even think of touching a thing. You positioned yourself perfectly...awesome work.

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    BPN Viewer Giuseppe Varano's Avatar
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    Really an amazing silhouette and wonderful atmosphere.

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    Lifetime Member Markus Jais's Avatar
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    Fantastic shot. I really like the colors in the BG. The birds looking at each other makes this one special.

    Markus

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    This is wonderful. Wish I had taken this :)

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