This is the parent of the chick from my previous post. This was captured about four hours earlier, in somewhat better light (overcast). Estero Llano Grande, Lower Rio Grande Valley, TX, last week.
Image quality is much better on this one. Perfect pose and head angle. Love the crazy looking eye!. Did you blur some background and the lower right portion of the frame? Something seems off. The left side has nice ripples and is sharp. The right side is all blurred. Doesn't seem consistent.
Bill, really unique coloration on this image and I like it, the eye really sets off the shot with that spectacular color pop.
Nice details, foreground and background look fine to me since there are similar soft areas throughout the picture.
Thanks Isaac and Tim. I didn't blur the lower right, but there was a streak of bright reflection that I burned. I don't think that is entirely responsible for the dull area you see. Some floating algae that I removed in various places (but not there), the wind, the light and some odd reflections conspired to create unusual water conditions. Here's a repost with just a bit of texture added in the LRC.
Yes, the eye really draws attention in this one Bill. There are so odd things going on with the water but probably not much you can do about that. But the bird still stands out nicely and has your hallmark deft handling of detail, colour and tone. Composition works for me and I think it would also be OK a bit tighter, if the IQ didn't suffer.