Hen Shoveler

[David Salem]

Caught this Hen taking off in some early morning light at my local spot last winter. I love trying to get images of waterfowl taking off because you also get cool looking shots of the water as they blast off.

1DX---840mm---f7.1---ss1/3200---ISO800---HH from truck @ 8:15am---30% crop

Thanks as always for looking and for your input. I appreciate it.

David

[gail bisson]

This is terrific David. Love the IQ and the spalsh.
Not much to critique with this image. I could see a version with more on the right to show the water depression completely and more on the right-I guess I am suggesting more of a pano.
This is a housekeeping issue but there is a dust spot in the water 2 inches in front of foot.
Great shot,
Gail

[David Salem]

Thanks for the nice comment Gail. I thought about keeping more of the water depression on the right but decided to tighten it up a little. Might work good as a pano too. Noticed the dust spot as I was posting but didn't go back and fix it.
Figures, I get " eagle eyes" on my first comment Thanks again.

[Enrique Patino]

Yes, I agree David. It is incredible to record how a bird takes off from the water like that and what it takes ... sure makes for a good action image. I like it as is. If i was printing it I might go a little looser.

[Marina Scarr]

Gail sure does have eagle eyes for those dust bunnies!!! Killer image, David, so sharp and full of details. Gail makes a good point about a pano crop, but that's a completely different image. I'm enjoying the wing position here.

[Satish Ranadive]

Marvelous image with spectacular take off pose. Great IQ. lovely colors, great details, beautiful flash, water ripples and composition.

Regards,
Satish.

[Bill Dix]

Wonderful take-off shot, David, with your usual fine detail, action and light. I understand the desire to keep the depression on the right, but I might have liked just a tad more space on the left as well, supporting Gail's pano suggestion. But as Marina says, that would be a different shot. Always nice when you can get two fine images for the price of one.

[Daniel Cadieux]

Pretty neat pose and that water splash is cool too. A very entertaining image. There is a small speck underneath the water depression that I would also remove if mine, just for a cleaner "finish" to the image.

[David Salem]

Thanks everyone. I will have to keep my eyes open for dust spots.

[Stu Bowie]

Hi Dave, excellent IQ, and I like the light in this too. Well timed for the take off, and I agree, take offs from water always guarantee interesting shots with regards to splashes. Sharp where it counts, and I can see a version with a bit more space on the LHS.

[Richard Flack]

Super image David.... love the wing position and action captured. Lovely light and simple BG. If anything, I would be tempted to show more of the splash and add a bit to the front. TFS

[Sanjeev Aurangabadkar]

Superb IQ on this one David, love the wing position. Awesome colours as well.

[Joseph Przybyla]

Perfectly timed image, excellent IQ. Thank you for sharing.

[Diane Miller]

Gorgeous action and IQ! Wonderful light, with the shadow of the neck on the back wingtip and the shadow of the front wingtip on the body.

[Jim Crosswell]

I like the IQ, action, exposure, details and wing shadow on the body. I would add more room in front of the duck and keep the same amount of space behind creating a pano crop but that is personal preference. A real beauty as presented David!

[David Salem]

Thanks everyone. I might try to re-post as a pano in the future

[Frank Schauf]

Great timing, great action.