Eared Grebe

[Luis Villablanca]

Here is an ear grebe I shot a couple of days ago. I've been trying to catch the moment
when the birds are diving but my reflexes are not so fast. Here the bird is stretching the
neck to start the dive.
I used the flash on this one and desaturated the blue/green/magenta channels in LR to get a more monotone
water color while leaving the bird colors mostly intact (the had some blue in it and the breast had a magenta cast) .


Eared Grebe
Shoreline Lake

Canon 7D + 500L + 1.4x TC + tripod
1/2500s, f/8, ISO 800, flash, -1.0 FEC, manual exposure.


C&C are welcome.
--
Luis

[Desmond Chan]

I like the overall feel of this image. I think you've made a good decision in desatarating the water color in the background. Light seems to be from the right at angle perhaps behind you ? I wonder if it would be better if it were from the left though.

[Axel Hildebrandt]

I like the angle, eye contact and relatively calm water. I would remove some of the specular highlights near the water/body line and wish that we could see the black pupil.

[Ilija Dukovski]

I like the bird very much, the red eye is a great point of interest,
but the best here I think if the silky water and nice layered BG.

[Daniel Cadieux]

Great low angle, and I love the numerous horizontal lines of the water. I agree with Axel about wishing to see the black pupil. The white speck near the nostril keeps grabbing my attention - will be very easy to fix via patch tool. Is the "glowing" eye naturally aglow like this?

[Luis Villablanca]

Great low angle, and I love the numerous horizontal lines of the water. I agree with Axel about wishing to see the black pupil. The white speck near the nostril keeps grabbing my attention - will be very easy to fix via patch tool. Is the "glowing" eye naturally aglow like this?

Thanks Daniel. Yes, I think the eye is naturally glowing this way.
I love seeing these birds in spring. Besides the glowing eyes, they get a set of yellow "ears" and a cushion of feathers around them (see this link http://luisv.smugmug.com/photos/424183527_WKSoo-L.jpg).

Anyway, here is a version with the proposed modifications. The pupil is so tiny that it was overpowered by the catchlight from the flash. I moved the catchlight a bit to be able to see the pupil more clearly.

[Ofer Levy]

Nice low angle, details and sharpness. Eye looks a bit wierd to me - have you selectively worked on it other than moving the catchlight?

[Luis Villablanca]

Nice low angle, details and sharpness. Eye looks a bit wierd to me - have you selectively worked on it other than moving the catchlight?

Actually no. I only moved the catchlight and reconstructed the area where it was located.
The bird was actually side lit, which created a shadow on the eye. Maybe this is what you are
finding strange...anyway, what's the weird thing you are noticing?

[Ofer Levy]

Actually no. I only moved the catchlight and reconstructed the area where it was located.
The bird was actually side lit, which created a shadow on the eye. Maybe this is what you are
finding strange...anyway, what's the weird thing you are noticing?

Something about the eye doesn't look natural. Colour is a bit strong for a shadowed area and it looks painted rather than natural but since you didn't manipulate it that's the way it is. Sometimes things look a bit weired even when natural.;)

[Luis Villablanca]

Something about the eye doesn't look natural. Colour is a bit strong for a shadowed area and it looks painted rather than natural but since you didn't manipulate it that's the way it is. Sometimes things look a bit weired even when natural.;)

I see...it may be the flash then. Anyway, I appreciate your opinion. Thanks for commenting.