Great crested grebe

[Jonathan Ashton]

Tripod mongoose 3.5 head
Camera Model Canon EOS 7D
Shooting Mode Aperture-Priority AE
Tv( Shutter Speed ) 1/1600
Av( Aperture Value ) 7.1
Metering Mode Evaluative Metering
Exposure Compensation -2/3
ISO Speed 400
Lens EF500mm f/4L IS USM +1.4x
Focal Length 700.0mm
Image Quality RAW
White Balance Mode Daylight
AF Mode AI Servo AF
AF area select mode AF Point expansion
Color Space Adobe RGB

We have had some interesting conversations recently over eyes and doctoring and the grebes eyes usually do not show well. I think I shot myself in the foot, saying the eyes never look particularly well lit and don't show the contrasting iris and pupil well.
I have not doctored the eye in any way, in this image, it must have been the angle the sun hit the bird.

All C & C welcome.

[Melissa Groo]

Great low angle, head turn towards you, and super view of the fish, Jonathan. I like your comp too. I find the clumps of whitish stuff in the water kind of distracting but realize that would take a lot of work to remove. Is that fluff from cottonwood trees?

[Randy Stout]

Jonathan:

This is excellent in many ways, with low shooting angle, great looking bird, sun angle giving some 3D form, prey item.

The willow debris however is pretty distracting.

I occasionally shoot loon images, and they have somewhat similar eyes, the loon being a bit darker red. The look is all over the place based on sun angle, so I can accept different looks in the grebes as well!

Cheers

Randy

[Jonathan Ashton]

Thanks Melissa and Randy, much appreciared. The fluff is from willow trees, I think cottonwoods are a type of mallow whereas willows are of the salix family, their physical appearances do have much in common.

[Daniel Cadieux]

Very nice overall, great HA and the fish with its face on the correct side of the bill. I agree the debris on the water is distracting, but it is what it is. I'd tone down the wet reflection on the grebe's side.