American Avocets Preparing to Mate

[Melissa Groo]

Canon 1D mark IV
500mm +1.4x
Skimmer Pod

1/2000
ISO 800
f/6.3

Took this at sunset one evening at Bowdoin Lake, Montana in May. The colors got pretty intense just before the sun went down. Here the male is doing his prelude to mating with his partner. She (the females have the more curved bill) has assumed the ready position, and he is splashing water around with his bill, which he would do every time before mating with her. I was fascinated by their elaborate mating rituals.
I know this is an unconventional crop but wanted to see what others thought. Usually if a reflection is not very clear I like to cut it out, cropping closer to bottom, but here I just loved the way the gold and the blue looked together, and I thought it worked, so kept the reflection and placed them a bit higher up than I usually would. WIll be interested to see what others think. There is more room all around if needed.
Thanks very much in advance for all comments and critiques.

[Richard Flack]

I really like it and thinks it works. Beautfiul colours and BG!

[gail bisson]

Your comp is lovely. Would not change a thing re:comp.
The colors are what make this image- love the blues and oranges and blacks.
My only suggestion would be to clone out the 2 little black dots above the female's bill.
Gail

[Karl Egressy]

The composition works well I think.
I love these birds and one day might be able to photograph them in breeding color.
Love the light, the setting and the pose of the two birds, Melissa.

[Joe Senzatimore]

Beautiful light and reflection. Great story to go along with one fine image.

[christopher galeski]

very nice,love the colors,works for me.

[Frank Schauf]

Excellent details, great pose, very nice background, and nice light.

[Satish Ranadive]

Excellent image with wonderful colors,beautiful lights and superb sharpness.Very nice information.
Composition looks superb.

Regards,
Satish.

[Diane Miller]

I LOVE that you left the reflection, and let it come to an end before the bottom of the frame. A reflection doesn't have to be mirror-perfect to work well. This one is clean and very artistic.

If it were mine (and I wish it was!!) I'd even take a little more off the top, and if there was more clean water on the bottom, I'd leave even more space there for the reflection to end. This is an image that works with the visual weight centered.

[David Salem]

I love Avocets and by your posts and comments it looks like you do too. This is beautiful Melissa. I love the pre- copulation pose that these guys do. If your trying to get the "shot" then this is exactly that you are watching for as you are shooting.
When this happens it is normally seconds before the male mounts her. The techs are perfect and the colors and Bg work well together. Very nice.

[Jim Crosswell]

I like the light, complimentary BG, exposure and composition. Reflection matches the BG perfectly. Very well done Melissa!

[Melissa Groo]

Thanks so much for all the input. Diane, I'll try a version of that comp at home and see how it looks, thank you.

[Grace Scalzo]

I wouldn't change a thing. Pretty colors, great behavior and you did well to get them both in focus.

[arash_hazeghi]

very cool Melissa, love the colors, low angle and good details.

Did you get any frames from the actual mating? it seems conditions were set for a killer mating frame :D

[Bill Dix]

Another fabulous Avocet image. I wouldn't change a thing. Wonderful colors, positions; love the separation of the bills. I can only imagine how thrilled you must have been to capture these.

[Melissa Groo]

Thanks again, all. Arash, I WISH I had a shot of them mating in that sweet sweet light but a few seconds after this frame, another avocet flew in, and the male took off to chase it away. ARRGH!
I'll share an image soon of another mating though...

[Stu Bowie]

Hi Melissa, great eye level perspective, and love the pose of the female. Overall well exposed, and I do like the stillness of the water, and colours in the BG. Well captured.

[Daniel Cadieux]

This is working very well Melissa! Sweet light, neat behaviour, and good techs. Too bad another avocet had to come in and spoil what could have been...but looking at the positive this is a killer frame :-)