This one or that one?

[Tom Rambaut]

7d, 500mm + 1.4ext, 1/640 @ 6.3. 400iso.

The same picture twice - Chestnut Teal. One with bit of weed in bill and one with it taken out. Which is better?

Thanks Tom

[Tom Rambaut]

This is No. 2 with the weed removed.

[Ofer Levy]

Very nice shot Tom. Awesome light and excellent exposure control. I prefer the 2nd image without the weed.
Would have preferred to see some more room all around and a lower shooting angle. Still very nice.

[Tom Rambaut]

For some reason I like the first. I was too high on the bank of the pond. I tend to crop tight.

Back there tommorrow morning so will try and get the feet wet: the tripods!

There was about 10 minutes of this golden light.

[Ofer Levy]

Was this taken at Bicentennial Park? The colour of the water looks familiar....

[Jim Crosswell]

I prefer the image with the grass removed. I like the water texture, reflection and light. Well done Tom!

[Randy Stout]

Tom:

Great reflection, water, eye. Generally I leave grass, etc in , but the stick is a bit distracting, and I prefer pane #2.

Lower angle is often more intimate, but the quality of the reflection would deteriorate as you go lower.

Cheers

Randy

[James Salywoda]

I like the repost without the weed Tom excellent detail and colors.

[Kaustubh Deshpande]

I like the shooting angle here as the reflection is very good. Lower would have been different and would have worked as well. Loved the water texture, Tom. Nice light as well. Very well done.

[DanWalters]

Great color and reflection. The repost is a little cleaner with the reed removed.

[John Guastella]

Excellent image with a perfect reflection. Like the one without the weed better. I think the shooting angle is fine - the reflection might not have been as nice at a lower angle. I like the tight crop, but that is usually my preference, especially when there is no environment (other than water or sky).

John

[Randy Bronkema]

I like the 1st one nice reflextion, good color, I also agree any more lower angle and you will lose the reflextion as far as the weed I think it should stay. it part of the image. it's a duck they get weeds in there mouths. very nice image!!!!

[Tom Rambaut]

Thanks all, especially those that I consider duck image gurus.

Ofer - sort of, the wetlands at Mason Park. Very good spot for Migratory shorebirds I'm told. Not much there at the moment but the above was taken there.

There were about 8 or so Royal Spoonbill at Bicentennial Park this morning. A bit far out for me. Staks of Black Winged stilts there also.