Scaup flotilla

[Tony Whitehead]

Inspired by Taylor Yeager's lovely high key Common Eider image posted yesterday I managed to grab an hour down at the lake in the afternoon. A bay on Lake Rotorua is quite milky from shoreline geothermal activity and we had lovely soft light from a layer of high cloud. Unfortunately there weren't any co-operative subjects and I only managed one shot of this flotilla before they changed direction. I like the front of the image but the ducklings behind mum aren't nice although the leg stretch from the one at the back is interesting. Not a patch on Taylor's image but it was a bit of fun:).
Nikon D300
Nikon 200-400 @ 400mm
ISO 200 1/1000 f4
Matrix +0.67
As always comments and opinions appreciated

[Fabs Forns]

This is adorable, Tony, only wish the two last faces were not lost in the parent.
High key effects is very well done :)

[Manos Papadomanolakis]

I really like the high key effects!!!

[Alfred Forns]

Fully agree You did get an excellent separation for the front ducks It is the key to success in group images

Not sure what your histogram looked like but would bet that it was a little underexposed? To produce those images you need to be over a lot more that 2/3 !!!

[Tony Whitehead]

Not sure what your histogram looked like but would bet that it was a little underexposed? To produce those images you need to be over a lot more that 2/3 !!!

Hi Al, I shot this in raw and added an other 2/3 in raw conversion - so, yes I should have shot at +1.3

[Taylor Yeager]

Thanks for the compliments and glad I could inspire you. I fint it easiest to do high key in manual, but with short opportunities that can be more difficult. Although I like the leg lift on the last duck I might be inclined to photochop the last 2 ducklings out.


~Taylor