Blue Goose on Road

[Arthur Morris]

This image of an adult dark morph (Blue) Snow Goose (with the head of a juvie just sticking into the frame) was created on last year’s Bosque del Apache BAA Instructional Photo-tour with the Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM Autofocus lens, the Canon 1.4x EF Extender III (Teleconverter), and the unfortunately discontinued EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 400. Evaluative metering -1/3 stop: 1/1250 sec. at f/9 in Manual mode.


Central Sensor (by necessity)/AI Servo Rear Focus active at the moment of exposure. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial.

I did lots of image clean-up work on this one. To see the original and learn more, click here.

In the meantime, don't by shy; all comments welcome.

ps: Denise Ippolito and I will be gone for 3 /12 weeks on the Cheesemans' Ecology Safari South Georgia/Falklands Expedition.

[Stu Bowie]

Hi Artie, love the light in this, and the exposure and sharpness are spot on. Good eye level capture, and Ive looked at your original, so great work on the clean up. Im glad you left some of the foliage along the bottom.

Have a good trip with Denise.

[Melissa Groo]

Wonderful post-processing work (I just looked at the original). I love the warm colors throughout, so wonderfully complementary in both bird and background. Excellent light, IQ, detail, and angle of the bird towards you. The only thing I wish for is to see the feet better. Have a wonderful trip!

[Arthur Morris]

Thanks on all counts Melissa. And me too on the feet; the darned birds would just not walk on the crown of the road!

[Ivan Ellison]

Really nice shot, great POV and the colours/light are gorgeous.Have looked at the original and the work you have done is great. am still getting my head round all the things you can do with PS. I am going to start to try out using layers/masks shortly and am really tempted to come over the pond for your trip to Bosque- will not be next year but 2014 if you run a trip there. I have started to use the rear focus method and I am finding it better for flight shots and comp of stationary birds- thanks for explaining it on your website.

[dankearl]

The light and colors are great Arthur, and a land setting looks different and unique for these guys.
While both feet would be a plus, the angle and detail of the Goose makes it work fine.

[Karl Egressy]

Great looking image. Love the colours, light pose and composition. The background is complimenting the brown in the bird.

[Marina Scarr]

Don't you just hate it when the birds don't do as you wish, ask, beg and pray for? I love the final product here. The light is magnificent. Agree on wishing for more feet but it helps that you have the partial.

[Jim Crosswell]

I like the walking pose, HA, details, sharpness, exposure and composition. Very well done Arthur.

[Shawn Zierman]

The blue phase is such a beautiful waterfowl, and this image shows why!
The light quality and what it has done for the plumage is rockin. I like the slightly
erect primaries towards the back end of the bird. I wish that raised foot had just
cleared the road line...you must have been grippin and rippin, I'm suprised the frame
right after this did not have more clearance...?

[Robert Holguin]

Wonderful shot.
I really like the warm light, great walking pose, and nice shooting angle.
Very well done.

[Frank Schauf]

Exellent image quality, great details and sharpness.