parent and kid

[John Chardine]

I've been busy traveling lately but have had a chance to make some images. However, I haven't posted here in a while and feel a little rusty!

This parent Pied-billed Grebe- already moulted to it's winter plumage- is in front of one of its pestering chicks. They are a delight to watch as the chicks chase the parent for food and the parent tries to ignore. This image made recently in Sackville under low light conditions- hence the 1600 ISO.

I cleaned up the water, ran NR on the background, rotated, cropped and sharpened front bird. Also desated the blues.

Canon EOS 50D, 500/4 x 1.4 tcII = 700mm
capture date: Saturday, 3 October 2009, 4:40 PM
exposure program: Aperture Priority
ISO speed: 1600
shutter speed: 1/320
aperture: f7.1
exposure bias: +0.0
metering: Pattern
flash: OFF

[Harold Davis]

i was thinking i might like some separation between the two birds, but i like it as is. there's enough contrast difference to make it right for me. i like the eye contact from the parent. might clean up a few of the specular highlights? around the chicks head.

[Joerg Rockenberger]

I think the story that this is a parent with its chick gets lost in the image as the latter is so OOF. Also think that separation between the two would have been better. But nice low angle, sharpness, pose and exposure. JR

[John Chardine]

Thanks guys. I do have several with good seperation between the two birds but I thought I'd try this one because of the symmetry of the parent and chick.

[Daniel Cadieux]

I agree with you that these guys are great to watch. I was tipped to some of these guys at a local pond early this summer, but got them just a little too late - there is always next year! :-)

IMO any juxtaposition between the two would have been best if the parent's head was in front of the chick's back, rather than head against face. Good call in desat the blues as I imagine there was lots in the darks of the plumage. I would, however, raise the colour temp a bit more. I am a bit bothered by the bright debris at bottom, but a crop to above that would be too tight. Excellent sharpness on the front bird. Perfect HA too, and I like the water beads on the back.

[Harshad Barve]

beautiful pose , HA and sharpness on front bird, agreed with comments above
TFS

[Paul Randall]

I agree about having some separation between these two birds. The front bird just gets a bit lost in the colours of the rear bird. The idea of juxtaposing the two was spot on though. Would love to see the other shots you got.

[Stu Bowie]

John, the parent is so sharp, with excellent detail. Good HA, and I too, like the droplets on the back. I look forward to the others, as I find the chick distracting. Pity, as the parent on its own in this would have been a winner.