Slicked back loon with snack

[Randy Stout]

This male loon had just popped up from beneath a northern Michigan lake, with a snack for his growing chick. The different green water color provided by a near by boat house

D700 600VR f/4.5 ISO 800 1/640s SB800 with beamer camera pedestal mounted in boat

Post: CS5 selective sharpening, small crop from left, tonal contrast adjustment in Nik Color Efex 4.0

Always interesting trying to sharpen a wet bird, as there is not much texture to work with on much of the head

Advice and comments appreciated.

Hope the crayfish is sharp enough for Doug this time.

Cheers

Randy

[Jim Crosswell]

I like the red eye, crayfish and wet look. I would clone out the white dot in the neck/head reflection.

[Doug Brown]

Excellent job of sharpening. Before I read the text, I was wondering what made the water look that color; thanks for the explanation. I agree about removing the white spot in the reflection.

[Stu Bowie]

Excellent low angle Randy, and I like how much of the water is still visible on the head. I feel you have managed the sharpness very well, including the catch. Thanks for explaining the colour of the water. Cheers.

[Geir Jensen]

I'm not jealous of this picture.

[arash_hazeghi]

very cool, you nailed this one.

[Randy Rimland]

superb is all i can say

[Kaustubh Deshpande]

Nice details, Randy. loved the wet head.

[Robert Holguin]

Wow!!!! Excellent low angle, great colors in the water, wonderful detail, and the meal is an added plus.
Well done.

[Dan Busby]

Trademark low angle, superb IQ and added interest with crayfish. Glad you explained the BG colour. What will you shoot when the lake freezes over ??

[Jim Fenton]

Love the olive colored water and it's even piocked up nicely in the head coloration. The crayfish trailing it's antennae is a great touch.

Sharpness on the head is perfect. Somehow I would like a bit more on the body but ypo would have lost some of the head isolation from the BG so you can't have everything :)

I might bring the brightness of the head / eye up a bit to get closer to the light on the back / shoulder but it looks as thoiugh the head was more in shadow so I'm not sure if tit would work...but I might try it.

Wonderful low angle.

[gail bisson]

You are the loon master! Great low angle and I love the single water droplet under the chin. I would clone out the white circle in the reflection and might add a bit more body but still like it as it is. Great flash work,
Gail

[Randy Stout]

Thanks everyone for the comments and advice

I will clean up the white circle. Just missed it.

The crop decision was based on my sense of balance in the image. I have more body, but it gets increasingly OOF, plus, I felt that it imbalanced the image because of the limited room I had on the right. I could add canvas, but tried to strike the best balance with the canvas I had.

I have another shot, one frame earlier, where the loon is much more to the left of the frame, more lead room in front. Might work on that one.

Thanks

Randy