Duck Nap

[Kerry Perkins]

As I was shooting waterfowl at the local park, I spotted this White Duck getting its nap on in the shade of a tree. I cranked the EC down in hopes of getting this effect, and this is what I got. Only a minor crop for composition, a tad of sharpening (wanted a soft look), and the addition of the copyright notice, otherwise completely in-camera.

50D, EF70-200mm f/2.8L IS + 1.4x@280mm
ISO 200, 1/2500@f/5.6
Partial metering (to take out the water), EC -2/3
Aperture priority, WB@5100K
Hand-held, no flash

[denise ippolito]

Kerry, great look!well done. I like the black BG and the reflection

[Gus Cobos]

Well composed and executed Kerry. I like the pose and eye contact...the mood and feel are nice...good show...:cool:

[Jackie Schuknecht]

Really lovely Kerry, love the pose and the water rings. I know you said soft, but maybe just a bit more sharpening on the eye??

[Julie Kenward]

I love the lighting in this - very dramatic and soothing all at the same time. I do think with the f stop of 2.8 you got the back end in focus far more than the head and I would have liked it the other way around. As Jackie said, now the eye (and head) is softer than the rest of the bird and I would expect them either to be sharper or the same amount of blurriness.

I am in awe that you got this great of an image in camera...good for you! You were using your thinking cap that day!

[Alfred Forns]

Real sweet image Kerry I'm sure most would have walk right pass it !!!!

Agree on the eye. I think needs to be sharp in just about all images, first thing we tend to look at !!! Big Congrats !!!

[Fabs Forns]

Very dramatic and well composed. The eye issue quite easy to fix. Congratulations!