Female Lesser Scaup

[gail bisson]

The color of the water is from the reflection of a fishing boat. The white stuff floating around duck is ice. I toyed with the idea of cloning ice out and am open to doing so if you think it would make a better picture.
The color of the water may be a bit much for some but it is something different from the norm. Dan K. was just getting used to the reds in my previous water shots!! This may do him in!!
Canon 1D MK IV
F 4.0 500mm and 1.4x extender
ISO 800
SS 1/500
F 7.1
Manual and HH lying on the dock. Cropped by 20%
PP in LR3 and CS5 and 3% detail extractor to neck area.
Comments and critiques always appreciated and learned from with thanks,
Gail

[Jack Breakfast]

Nice duck, nice water! My favorite winterduck is the female scaup. The rumpled reflection and ice on the duck's reflection keeps this image from being perfect, but I still think it's a knock-out! The water color is really something else...a very nice BG for that beautiful brown hen, o boy!

[Marina Scarr]

You did a great job getting the details out on this lovely duck. The color of the duck and water go well together, and it is different and eye catching. You had a nice low shooting angle here. I am not a big fan of removing parts of pictures, but I do believe that this picture would be more powerful with the one piece of ice removed below right of the duck. Your horizon is just a tiny bit off. Your beak is not quite matching your beak reflection.

[dankearl]

Wow, the water color is spectacular.
Duck looks nice also. If you are inclined to, I think I might talk out the large highlight on the lower right.

[arash_hazeghi]

nice I like the unusual water color would pick a tighter crop

[Sachin Saraf]

Hi Gail, the bird pops out nicely with that water color and lucky you to have such silk smooth water as FG/BG...IQ looks great so even I would love to see a tighter crop.

[Stu Bowie]

Hi Gail, good low shooting angle, and I like the swimming angle of the duck. Great sharp detail, and Im fine with the ice below the duck. If anything, I would melt the ice in the ULC. I remember this water colour from a previous image of yours, so Im fine with that too.

[Richard Unsworth]

Tighter crop for me too, thats fine because the image content is lovely; colors very nice and different but remain natural ie not overstated

[Frank Schauf]

Beautiful portrait, nice pose and colours.

[Satish Ranadive]

As usual marvelous image.Love the great details and pose of the bird.

[Dave Leroy]

Nicely done. I really like the light on the duck. I would have a look at a pano crop with some off top and would also lose the bit of ice below right of duck.

[Melissa Groo]

Really like this capture Gail. That color is really a knock out. Great light and details on the scaup. I think I see what Marina means, maybe try a slight CW rotation.

[gail bisson]

Thank you all for your input. Here is my repost based on your suggestions,
gail

[Melissa Groo]

Wow! looks great, Gail! Much improved.

[Dave Leroy]

Much better. Nice and clean.

[Ryan Schain]

In my opinion this is a Greater Scaup. It's head doesn't look peaked enough for LESC.

[Jack Breakfast]

Second the Greater Scaup diagnosis. Lesser Scaup are hard to come by! I'm always hoping for them. Sometimes I can pick them out in my flock shots on account of the underwing differences but the lion's share of them are greater. At least here in southern Ontario. But that's neither here nor there. I love the repost. This photo appeals to me for its slightly graphical nature. If that's the right word. My favorite bird photos have something unphotographic about them, something more painterly. I love the simplicity here and o yes, it's that color, the way the browns settle into the turquoise...if I have my color names right...

[Cheryl Arena Molennor]

Great detail and colors. The repost does look better but wonder if the duck is now to centered?

[Robert Holguin]

Wonderful shot. I love the water color, excellent details, great pose, and the repost is much better.
Well done.

[Jim Crosswell]

Beautiful image Gail! I like the colours, details, pose and repost is a real improvement.