Hi Randy,
A beautiful demonstration of flash used perfectly.
I like the comp and the dark atmosphere conveyed by the low light. Your IQ is excellent at these low light levels and allows us to see the different colors in the head and that great sheen on the beak.
Still can't believe you used flash on this image,
Gail
PS Still hoping for a picture of Loonie Too in Photography Gear Forum.
Randy, the black beak and head really stand out against the background, good timing there, almost giving it a 3D effect. Sharp and excellent IQ as expected.
Just started posting on this forum but been a wildlife photographer most of my adult life. All I can say is that there is a specific point when photography turns into art, this is it!! Great job.
Hi Randy, I really like the angles you achieve shooting from your boat, and good use of flash to bring out the colours on the head. Love the complimentary colours to the BG too. Did I mention the good placement of the Loon in the frame.
Thanks everyone for the comments. Much appreciated.
The whites on the breast do appear quite bright because the image is otherwise rather dark. They are in the 240 range. I will do another pass on it, but they often get a bit muddy/gray looking if brought down too much.
The breast feathers often look a bit featureless when illuminated from straight ahead. I will post some other images with more side illumination, which show nice texture in the breast feathers.
Fantastic image. Before reading your explanation I was going to ask whether you used a beamer for this. Love the mood and low angle. I agree with the other comments about the whites on the chest - I'd tone that down slightly.