Black Scoter

[Rachel Hollander]

Another one from the IPT/Creative Adventure at the Barnegat Jetty. We spent a lot of time with this black scoter hen on Saturday morning. For this image she gave me a nice calling pose.

Canon 7D
100-400 @ 400mm
1/2000
f8
ISO 800
EC +2/3
HH from the jetty, levels, curves, selective burning and dodging, sharpened in CS6. Cropped for comp. I know the scoter is a little centered but I wanted to include the whole rock.

C&C welcome and appreciated. Thanks,

Rachel

[Joe Senzatimore]

Beautiful light and pose. Love the blue water as well. Fine detail in the hen. Might crop it a bit tighter. Some off the left and bottom.

[Faraaz Abdool]

Oh yes Rachel - absolutely lovely morning we had there. Excellent shot and great timing to get the open bill. I like this composition as the rock is just as important as the hen herself. Only niggling thing for me is the dark ripple just behind (and left) of her head. My eye keeps getting distracted by it. Still a great shot!

[Jonathan Ashton]

Your patience paid off Rachel, a very pleasing image full of detail. Regards composition you may wish to consider placing the duck higher and slightly to the left - "rule of thirds".

[Wynand van Wyk]

I agree with Jonathan on the crop. Super sharp image though and the light is amazing!

[Nick Palmieri]

Another vote for a tighter crop. I like the expression on his face. The muscles on the left of the rock balance things out nicely.

[Rachel Hollander]

Thanks all for the kind comments. Here's a repost with the suggested crop.

Thanks again,
Rachel

[wendell westfall]

Re-post nails it -- much improved . . .

[Dennis Zaebst]

Very well done Rachel...I like the recrop, and the fact that you kept the full rock in the image at the same time. I love the expression on the duck's face. Beautiful environmental portrait, attractive BG.

[Andrew Merwin]

RP for me too Rachel. I like the sharpness & your excellent techs. The calling pose makes the image more unique. The rock is a + for me also.

[Grace Scalzo]

Sweet job on the repost. The perch, the quack, the mussels are all important elements and make this a nice image to view.

[Karl Egressy]

Nice image of a species that is hard to get, at least around here. The repost it an improvement for sure. Great work, Rachel.

[Marina Scarr]

Super job on the repost...tightens is up. While this image works b/c of all the elements mentioned by Grace, I am partial to last image.

[Rachel Hollander]

Thanks everyone for all the kind comments. Marina - the harlequins were my favorite subjects at the jetty. They just weren't always cooperative.

Thanks again,
Rachel

[Colin Gilyeat]

Rachel, my turn to be jealous. I wasn't there the day (saturday?) you shot this one. Great pose and angle on the rock and perfect timing in getting the open beack.

Colin

[dankearl]

Repost nails it, you really had a great workshop it appears.
You also always have an eye for the big picture.
You shoot birds like a landscape photographer, inspires me to start to try a bit more of that.
I hope you will continue to post here often!

[PhilCook]

Repost has nailed it nicely, well composed and liking a lot the cry for the ....." help, I'm stranded " action { using a bit of imagination there, Ducks name may or may not be Gilligan lol }

[Jonathan Ashton]

Rachel - repost - just right!!

[Faraaz Abdool]

Wow - A thousand points for the RP, Rachel.

[Satish Ranadive]

Absolutely superb image of beautiful lady, Rachel.Re post composition looks great.
Love the calling pose,beautiful rock and nice blue water.

Regards,
Satish.

[Rachel Hollander]

Thanks all, rp works for me too.

[Robert Holguin]

Wonderful shot!
Repost is much better.
Excellent pose, terrific perch, and nice light.
Well done.