Common Merganser Lifting Its Head Out Of The Water.

[Daniel Cadieux]

A few weeks ago I had a fun time photographing this female Common Merganser searching for food from point-blank range, often times swimming to inside MFD along the shores of the beach I was lying flat on. These guys search for food by submerging their face into the water to look for underwater prey, and repeatedly lift and plunk back down until something has been found. Only then will they dive to catch it. I had many opportunities of trying to get the water cascading down the face, with this one being my favorite. Apart from a 1.5 degree CW rotation then cropping off the corners, this is a full-frame image of this normally very skittish species (at least for us anyhow)! I was really hoping to see a prey item of some sorts, but this is just as interesting, IMO

Canon 7DII + 500mm f/4 II + 1.4TC III, manual exposure, evaluative metering, 1/2500s., f/5.6, ISO 800, natural light, handheld, a few distracting highlights removed.

[annmpacheco]

Oh Dan, this is soooo wonderful, congratulations, so unique, so detailed and the curtain of water is to die for! She's a real beauty and this image is a winner for sure.

[gail bisson]

Very very nice action portrait! It is so hard to get the "curtain of water" shot.
Great POV and IQ.
Gail

[Brian Sump]

Daniel, so unique and so captivating.

You manage detail in your shots unlike most and I look forward to your posts.

The water appears like something out of a high end filtered water commercial. So cool and so cool (color wise).

The crop is great for this portrait. Well done all around!

[Arthur Morris]

Nice sheet! (of water). This species has been a nemesia for me :)

with love, arite

[David Roach]

Cool timing as you have the laminate flow still covering and flowing from the face to the water. Love the darker blues. TFS

[John Mack]

Love it! Good luck getting close to these in my local. I like the low angle and of course that water.

[Joseph Przybyla]

Hi Dan, love the sheet of water. I have never seen a merganser this close before. NIce image, thank you for sharing.

[arash_hazeghi]

pretty cool frame Dan! look at the water film. merg is one of my favorites, we don't have as many here

TFS

[Gabriela Plesea]

This grabbed me instantly! Very arty and so beautiful, Dan - superb timing and thoughtfully processed, well composed, great colours, love the image design

Warmest regards,