Great Crested Grebe.

[David Cowling]

The size of fish these fellows can get down is amazing. It was gone in four gulps.

1/800. F11. ISO2000. Processed in ACR and PS6 There is a greying to the front of the throat which looks as though I have tried to tame over exposed whites, but it is just there naturally for some reason.

Canon 5D Mk4. Canon 100-400 Mk2. 1.4x TC Mk3

The bird was wild and free.........as was the fish.

[David Cowling]

The colours are not right at all. I set the WB to shade in ACR because the water is under trees and bushes. I have done a re-post with WB set to As shot and also left a little more room around the bird. .

[kevin Hice]

Nice image love the water behind the bird.Fish is a nice bonus. As for the whites still may not be correct but I like the look in the second picture. Whites are definitely better even if they have somewhat of a gray or blue cast.
I have trouble with whites also. Again really nice photo and like the color of the water better in the second pic.

[dankearl]

Wow, nice image...
I like the first one as well as the repost. The repost has more noise..
I do not know the birds well enough. The whites do not look blown.

[annmpacheco]

I like more room in your 2nd post David, but would ask for a few more points of black to richen the colors on the grebe. Could the greyish whites on the throat be shadowed by the fish, which is terrific by the way?

[Isaac Grant]

Nice behavior and love the color of the water. Of course the fish really helps. I wish you had a lower shooting angle which is I think is vital on water bird images to really set the bird off well. Also the image quality of the bird is not very good and I see very little fine feather details other than the face. The original image has better color and contrast but it can be improved on. Not sure what is up with the grayed out throat. Maybe wet feathers or feathers that are not oiled properly? I agree with Ann re adding some blacks to the bird.

[John Mack]

I like the first post more. Thast a nice catch. Pose on the bird is nice as well.

[Dorian Anderson]

Lovely image. Prey item saves the high-than-ideal shooting angle which did produce a nice water effect. Agree with comment about highlighted cheek, and I think something between the two images as presented might work. Original is probably slightly too warm, but second post is really cold/blue to my eye.

[Arthur Morris]

I do not mind the shooting angle at all. With lots of waterfowl getting down to water level is often not possible and as most folks get over 70 getting down and then up again ain't as easy as it once was ... I like the first image way better and the image quality and FFD look at least decent to me. I think that this is and outstanding capture and the fish is fabulous. Bummer that the fish was facing away ...

with love, artie

[David Cowling]

Thanks to everyone for the comments on both images, they are much appreciated. Thanks Ann, I will try a few more points of Black. Isaac your comments were well received and thorough as usual, I will try the 25/25 method to try and bring out a little more feather detail. Thank you Arthur for your most valued input, they say that with age comes wiseness and as I am in my eightieth year I find that it is not the wisest thing to be laying down on a river bank without somebody around to help me up again!

[Jim Crosswell]

Beautiful image David. I like the water texture that is a result of the shooting angle, prey and red eye.

[Daniel Cadieux]

I too prefer the first version. I'm a lover of really low angles, but this one works well for me as the "brushstroke" water patterns along the top are only usually seen form a higher vantage point such as you have here. I love the larger bead of water sitting on top of the back. Having the fish pointing our way would have been such a bonus, but obviously not something you can control. I see the image quality as rather pretty good, not sure what more could be done?

[Jonathan Ashton]

Love the first version, I have made a very minor adjustment with curves - WDYT?

[arash_hazeghi]

love the pose and the fish! color look good and the the bird is sharp, the details could be a bit better but I don't think they are lacking that much

TFS