Northern Shoveler among the pinks, at cozy wingflap
Greetings, commanders...I will wait patiently and sweetly for your comments and ideas regarding this fine shoveler. I've been seeing some shovelers on the forum lately and have been inspired to look through my shots from last November. What a fine duck! Both sexes are lovely for different reasons, I believe. This picture was taken with the Canon 7D, 200mm f2.8L + 1.4...iso250, 1/1000, f4.5...if I could step into my time machine I'd have upped the shutter speed and the ISO, but I think this worked out alright, considering...the image has been cropped, there's been a levels tweak and because this forum has made me crazy, I even cleaned up a few minor junkbits on the water. I await your fine responses!
Hi Jack, well timed to capture the wingflap, and overall nice and sharp. Good job in your repost by lightening the head and eye, and I would maybe remove some of the highlight spots in front of the shoveler. Wish she had turned his head slightly towards you.
The back lighting makes for a challenge here, but the repost is an improvement, with the lightened head/eye area. Good timing on the flap. Yes to having her turned a bit more our way.
Stuart, thanks, I may remove some of those spots now that you folks have made a convert out of me. RE the head angle, I quite like it as it is, but see your point. Randy, thanks also...our personal tastes have aligned and I'm in complete agreement RE a small crop off the bottom. The backlighting here was frustrating while I was shooting, as I recall, but in the end it worked out nicely...there's a softness here that appeals to me. Shortly afterwards, the light changed completely and I took some more typical shots of the drakes and the hens. I even got low. Low as I could without lying in mud. I haven't gotten to that point yet. Perhaps I need grubbier clothes. I don't know. I see some of these super low-angle shots and I know that the shooters were lying on the ground in order to get the angle. Maybe some day...my mind is open...
Wonderful image here, Jack! The repost is a great improvement. You definitely should try lying in the mud - it's not that bad. I carry rain pants and a rain coat around for times when I expect to and it's not that dirty (usually... ). By the way, this bird is a male. The female shovelers have the same 'scalloped' brown coloration of most other ducks in the Anas genus (like a mallard), just with a large shoveler bill. This male hasn't acquired breeding plumage yet - they usually get it around December from what I've seen. Thanks for sharing!
Robert, I'm terribly embarrassed! Didn't realize this was a male at all! I'm used to the very different look of the breeding plumage male...can't thank you enough for setting me straight. In this particular instance, getting lower would have been impossible as there was barely any room to kneel, let alone lie down, but I'm seriously considering the lie-down for other instances. I don't have a car and do all of my birdwatching by foot and usually wear clothes that I don't wish to sully, but I think perhaps it's time for a change...anything for art, etc.
Northern Shoveler among the pinks, at cozy wingflap
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). By the way, this bird is a male. The female shovelers have the same 'scalloped' brown coloration of most other ducks in the Anas genus (like a mallard), just with a large shoveler bill. This male hasn't acquired breeding plumage yet - they usually get it around December from what I've seen. Thanks for sharing!
