Ruddy Duck.

[Karl Egressy]

This guy was the sole star of the pond yesterday and today.
This shot is from yesterday.
I'm pleased with the 2x III extender's performance.
Thanks for looking.

Canon 1D M IV
Canon 500 f 4.0 L IS II. + 2.0x III
ISO 800
f8.0
1/1000 s

[Juan Carlos Vindas]

Handsome duck. Great eye contact and pose. Image is dark to my taste. I would also suggest to sharpen the eye a tad.

[Marina Scarr]

All you need is one star, and you've made him look mighty fine, Karl. Lovely water, details and pose.

[Daniel Cadieux]

Lucky you, I've never seen one close enough to shore to properly photograph...you made the best of the opportunity. Nice head angle relative to body angle. Perhaps a bit of CCW rotation needed, and I'm wondering if you smoothed the water where it meets the duck?

[Grace Scalzo]

One fine looking duck. Great complimentary tones. A little ccw looks needed.

[Karl Egressy]

Lucky you, I've never seen one close enough to shore to properly photograph...you made the best of the opportunity. Nice head angle relative to body angle. Perhaps a bit of CCW rotation needed, and I'm wondering if you smoothed the water where it meets the duck?

Thanks, Daniel.
To my best knowledge, I did not smoothened the water.
I used surface blur at 8-16 to take care of the possible noise, which has a modest but overall smoothening effect.
Otherwise the water was left alone.
I was fairly low, close to the water, kneeling down.

[Miguel Palaviccini]

Karl,

You did great with the "lone star". I'd take just a touch off the top and brighten the midtones just a tad.

The touch of backlight really makes him pop a bit more from the background. Really like the effect along the breast feathers and especially the beak.

Miguel

[David Salem]

Great looking duck and a nice pose. Detail looks good and I like the overall colors. Yes to some ccw rotation and a little brightening. Well done Karl

[Stu Bowie]

Hi Karl, what a cool looking Duck, and I do like the colours on him. The swimming pose looks good with a good HA and cocked tail. Im in agreement with the others regarding some rotation and lifting the overall exposure a touch more.