Results 1 to 22 of 22

Thread: Female Merganser Flight

  1. #1
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    central NY
    Posts
    2,414
    Threads
    222
    Thank You Posts

    Default Female Merganser Flight

    Attached Images Attached Images
     
    Canon 1D Mark IV
    500mm f/4
    Handheld

    ISO 500
    1/4000
    f/4.0

    Taken last month here in upstate NY. I liked the graceful curve of her neck and body, as well as the warm colors. This is about a 50% crop. Sharpening, some recovery on whites.
    Thanks so much for looking, all C&C greatly appreciated.

  2. #2
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    Brussels, Belgium
    Posts
    74
    Threads
    10
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    I like this one a lot, great compo and beautiful colours. Great detail on the body and the wing, and the exposure is excellent, with preserved detail in the white areas.
    Maybe you could consider some selective sharpening on the head.

    Xavier

  3. #3
    Lifetime Member Doug Brown's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Albuquerque, NM
    Posts
    11,879
    Threads
    917
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Excellent wing position, and nice OOF habitat. Fine detail in the head could be better. And I'm not crazy about the vertical brown grass intersecting the head and body.
    Upcoming Workshops: Bosque del Apache 2019, Ecuador 2020 (details coming soon)
    Website -
    Facebook - 500px

  4. #4
    Avian Moderator Randy Stout's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    SW Michigan
    Posts
    14,112
    Threads
    820
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Melissa:

    Lovely colors, full downstroke,exposure looks good with your recovery.

    Agree about the sharpening and the areas intersecting with the head.

    Cheers

    Randy
    MY BPN ALBUMS

    "Tact is the art of making a point without making an enemy" Sir Isaac Newton

  5. #5
    BPN Viewer
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Location
    New Albany Indiana
    Posts
    17
    Threads
    9
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    I like your shot; especially if it is hand held. Do you use an extender? Do you shoot using A1Servo?

  6. #6
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    central NY
    Posts
    2,414
    Threads
    222
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Darrell Riggins View Post
    I like your shot; especially if it is hand held. Do you use an extender? Do you shoot using A1Servo?
    Yes, Darrell, I shoot using Servo 95% of the time. I typically use a 1.4 Extender III, but took it off here as I wanted as much shutter speed and speed of AF as possible, as mergansers are the fastest ducks we have here. This was handheld as I find I have better success a lot of the time in following birds that way.

  7. #7
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    central NY
    Posts
    2,414
    Threads
    222
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Attached Images Attached Images
     
    Thanks for the comments. I got rid of those vertical lines intersecting the head, and also added a little structure around the head and neck area in Viveza. Also selected the eye and brought up the Shadows there a bit.

  8. #8
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Southwest Michigan
    Posts
    1,359
    Threads
    152
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Hey Melissa, the re-post looks great! Really like the wing position. Great shot/

    Gary.

  9. #9
    Publisher Arthur Morris's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Indian Lake Estates, FL
    Posts
    32,506
    Threads
    1,433
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Attached Images Attached Images
     
    Repost as above. Two warped Quick Masks for the two fat grass strips sculpted via Layer Masks. Pano crop. Eye doctor work. Selective sharpening of head and hood. I think that that is about it....

    ps: love the image and the pose. Killer downstroke. Female common BTW.
    BIRDS AS ART Blog: great info and lessons, lots of images with our legendary BAA educational Captions; we will not sell you junk. 30+ years of long lens experience/e-mail with gear questions.

    BIRDS AS ART Online Store: we will not sell you junk. 35 years of long lens experience. Please e-mail with gear questions.

    Check out the new SONY e-Guide and videos that I did with Patrick Sparkman here. Ten percent discount for BPN members,

    E-mail me at samandmayasgrandpa@att.net.










  10. #10
    Publisher Arthur Morris's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Indian Lake Estates, FL
    Posts
    32,506
    Threads
    1,433
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    ps: Melissa beat me to the punch and did a very nice job of it! The repost rocks but I like the pano crop as the large expanse of yellow at the bottom drags the viewer's attention to the bottom of the frame as always with darker above/lighter below images...
    BIRDS AS ART Blog: great info and lessons, lots of images with our legendary BAA educational Captions; we will not sell you junk. 30+ years of long lens experience/e-mail with gear questions.

    BIRDS AS ART Online Store: we will not sell you junk. 35 years of long lens experience. Please e-mail with gear questions.

    Check out the new SONY e-Guide and videos that I did with Patrick Sparkman here. Ten percent discount for BPN members,

    E-mail me at samandmayasgrandpa@att.net.










  11. #11
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    central NY
    Posts
    2,414
    Threads
    222
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Arthur Morris View Post
    Repost as above. Two warped Quick Masks for the two fat grass strips sculpted via Layer Masks. Pano crop. Eye doctor work. Selective sharpening of head and hood. I think that that is about it....

    ps: love the image and the pose. Killer downstroke. Female common BTW.
    Nice job, Artie. Thank you for your time and tips. And thanks for identifying the merganser as common, I should have done so in my title.

  12. #12
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    central NY
    Posts
    2,414
    Threads
    222
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Wow! This is as close to instant messaging as I get! I like your pano crop too, excellent point on the attention-grabbing aspect of brighter areas below.

  13. #13
    Publisher Arthur Morris's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Indian Lake Estates, FL
    Posts
    32,506
    Threads
    1,433
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    YAW. You did great too :)
    BIRDS AS ART Blog: great info and lessons, lots of images with our legendary BAA educational Captions; we will not sell you junk. 30+ years of long lens experience/e-mail with gear questions.

    BIRDS AS ART Online Store: we will not sell you junk. 35 years of long lens experience. Please e-mail with gear questions.

    Check out the new SONY e-Guide and videos that I did with Patrick Sparkman here. Ten percent discount for BPN members,

    E-mail me at samandmayasgrandpa@att.net.










  14. #14
    Roman Kurywczak
    Guest

    Default

    Great pose Melissa. Great advice following the advice in the repost. Works for me!

  15. #15
    Lifetime Member Marina Scarr's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Sarasota, FL
    Posts
    10,347
    Threads
    403
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Lovely flight pose and the repost by Melissa really steps it up.
    Marina Scarr
    Florida Master Naturalist
    Website, Facebook

  16. #16
    BPN Member jack williamson's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    south mississippi
    Posts
    1,979
    Threads
    107
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    The brown and grey tones are great in this image. Great wing position and the repost is real good, I like Arthurs' crop from the bottom.

    Jack

  17. #17
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    Guelph, Ontario, Canada
    Posts
    8,509
    Threads
    827
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Striking flight shot, Melissa.

  18. #18
    Publisher Arthur Morris's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Indian Lake Estates, FL
    Posts
    32,506
    Threads
    1,433
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Melissa Groo View Post
    Wow! This is as close to instant messaging as I get! I like your pano crop too, excellent point on the attention-grabbing aspect of brighter areas below.
    I was watching a lousy basketball game :). Thanks for being open.
    BIRDS AS ART Blog: great info and lessons, lots of images with our legendary BAA educational Captions; we will not sell you junk. 30+ years of long lens experience/e-mail with gear questions.

    BIRDS AS ART Online Store: we will not sell you junk. 35 years of long lens experience. Please e-mail with gear questions.

    Check out the new SONY e-Guide and videos that I did with Patrick Sparkman here. Ten percent discount for BPN members,

    E-mail me at samandmayasgrandpa@att.net.










  19. #19
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    central NY
    Posts
    2,414
    Threads
    222
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Arthur Morris View Post
    I was watching a lousy basketball game :). Thanks for being open.
    my pleasure!

  20. #20
    BPN Viewer
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Location
    Los Gatos, CA
    Posts
    551
    Threads
    73
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    gorgeous Melissa - especially your repost, but like the pano crop a lot. These stay way high here, don't have anything as lovely as this one, congratulations!

  21. #21
    BPN Viewer
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Location
    Pune, India
    Posts
    84
    Threads
    10
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Beautifully captured, loved the bg.

  22. #22
    Super Moderator arash_hazeghi's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    San Francisco, California, United States
    Posts
    18,545
    Threads
    1,318
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    very nice Melissa #7 is my fav.


    great work.
    New! Sony Capture One Pro Guide 2022
    https://arihazeghiphotography.com/Gu.../Sony_C1P.html


    ------------------------------------------------
    Visit my blog
    http://www.arihazeghiphotography.com/blog

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Web Analytics