Dad and chick sharing a moment - common loon family

[Randy Stout]

This pair was captured last June. The chick was ~ 3 days old, but already moving along pretty well. It is always interesting to see how they start, and what they end up looking like as an adult.

D4 600VR with TC-14, f/7.1 1/2500s ISO 800. Mounted in my little boat.

Post: slight crop from right , top and bottom. No more canvas available on left. Selective sharpening, cleaned up the catchlight in adult.

I was trying to be sure I had enough DOF to keep the chick in focus, so was focused a bit further back on the adult than usual. This left the adults bill just out of the DOF. Wish I had the entire chick, but sometimes when working at 850mm in a bobbing boat perfect framing isn't easy. Overall, although some issues, I thought there was enough here to make it an enjoyable image.

Would certainly appreciate your opinions.

Cheers

Randy

[John Robinson]

Yes indeed= a very enjoyable one Randy I like the BIF of this one and the cut off chick rear doesn,t seem to bother me for some reason.
Good stuff
John

[Norm Dulak]

A special moment well captured Randy. The minor nits you mentioned are of no consequence.

[stuart wanuck]

Trade you for a blue heron nice!!!

[dankearl]

Very good details with the DOF you used. The whites seem a bit hot and maybe a bit more room?

[steve torna]

This is just beautiful in every way; I wish I could experience something like this. Killer background and super low POV is really great. I don't mind the clipped chick either but couldn't canvas be added and the chick repaired? I don't use PS so I really don't know... TFS this is really nice!

[Jonathan Ashton]

A really sweet image Randy, I appreciate the difficult conditions and subjects. The only reservation I have is that when you go in this close the image does really invite close scrutiny. I think it is a really great image and I like it but I wonder would it have been easier to get and perhaps more technically "correct " had you captured the image a few feet further away... but that of course would be less challenging and you already have a superb collection

[Randy Stout]

Thanks everyone for the comments and suggestions.

Steve: It might be possible to do the photoshop work you suggest, but not easy to get a convincing look without having an adjacent frame with material to borrow ( chick posterior!)

DanL The brightest whites I could find were mid 230s, which is generally my target area. I do agree that the breast does look bright at this level!

Jon: re working distance. I agree with your thoughts, and generally like to have more canvas to work with, esp. with more than one bird. However, when they start swimming towards me, I can't move the boat fast enough away from them to keep a good working distance and sun angle, so sometimes they do get in too tight for comfort. I have been noodling on a strategy to allow the boat to move side ways, for circumstances like this, to allow me to keep a bit more distance, but shooting and driving the boat at the same time isn't easy.

I will keep working on improving my tech!

Obviously, a big high quality zoom lens might be handy for these circumstances. I haven't found any that meet my needs for large aperture and image quality yet.

Cheers

Randy

[Jonathan Ashton]

Thanks everyone for the comments and suggestions.

Steve: It might be possible to do the photoshop work you suggest, but not easy to get a convincing look without having an adjacent frame with material to borrow ( chick posterior!)

DanL The brightest whites I could find were mid 230s, which is generally my target area. I do agree that the breast does look bright at this level!

Jon: re working distance. I agree with your thoughts, and generally like to have more canvas to work with, esp. with more than one bird. However, when they start swimming towards me, I can't move the boat fast enough away from them to keep a good working distance and sun angle, so sometimes they do get in too tight for comfort. I have been noodling on a strategy to allow the boat to move side ways, for circumstances like this, to allow me to keep a bit more distance, but shooting and driving the boat at the same time isn't easy.

I will keep working on improving my tech!

Obviously, a big high quality zoom lens might be handy for these circumstances. I haven't found any that meet my needs for large aperture and image quality yet.

Cheers

Randy

Randy it sounds to me as though you could do with a partner to pilot your boat - I'll be over in a jiffy!

[Mike Poole]

It's certainly worth sharing, as it is an enjoyable image. Perfect world scenario has the full chick of course, but in the real world it's not always possible. I love to see these kind of mother and chick shots.

Mike

[William Dickson]

Another '3D' looking image Randy. Splendid all round. TFS

Will

[christopher galeski]

its still a nice image,you have pointed out some of its faults,but enjoyable all the same.TFS.

[Stu Bowie]

Hi Randy, another well exposed adult Loon image - gotta love that green sheen on the head, and in turn, those droplets pop nicely. Looking and studying all the detail on the parent, having the chick slightly cut off the frame doesnt really harm the image. Great seeing the chick admiring his parent.

[Randy Stout]

Thanks folks for the kind input.

John: My boat is pretty small, I am not sure both of us would fit!

Cheers

Randy

[Jonathan Ashton]

Thanks folks for the kind input.

John: My boat is pretty small, I am not sure both of us would fit!

Cheers

Randy

Well I guess you would just have to wait on the shore I go alone