Red-breasted Merganser

Gallery: AvianPosted March 4, 2010386 views30 comments

Mergus serrator

This image was taken in May of 2008 and some members may recognize that I have posted it before. The reason I am posting it again is that I would like this image in my permanent gallery and while I have ample images from both Florida and Utah waiting in my "NPN possibles" folder that I've yet to post, this image keeps beckoning me to post it again. I've succumbed.

I'd just gotten back the night before from a trip to Mexico and Grand Cayman Island and I ached to sink my feet back in the wonderful white sand in Florida again so I slipped out of the house about an hour before dawn and headed to one of my favorite locations. While I was walking south I spotted this red-breasted merganser taking a break from feeding on the shoreline and photographed it for about 15 minutes, I turned to look at something else and when I looked back at the merganser it had slipped back into the waters of the Gulf.

While I photographed this merganser I laid flat on my stomach in the sand with shallow waves soaking my clothes (you just don't know how good that feels when the temps are in the 90's in FL until you do it!). In this image one of those shallow incoming waves produced an almost mirror-like effect that I find quite pleasing.

In the previous version I posted I had cleaned up the one small OOF shell fragment in front of the two that are to the side of the merganser's breast. I decided not to do that in this version because as I have grown as a photographer so has my resistance to manipulate what I photograph in post processing unneccessarily.

D200, handheld, full frame, f7.1, 1/640. ISO 200, 80-400mm VR at 360mm, natural light. Post processing was a slight WB adjustment, masking the merganser and then minimal selective sharpening, added my copyright. Larger version provided for critical evaluation.

As always, I sincerely appreciate your comments and critiques. Thanks for looking. For those of you who have seen this before, I hope it doesn't bore you to see it again, but reposting this was my only option to get it into my gallery.

Comments

30 comments

Comment posted by Brian Gatlin on March 4, 2010 at 1:36 PM

wow, Mia, I can see why you wanted this in your gallery. What a beautiful image. Your angle here is amazing--you're looking UP at the head of a resting duck!! The pose, the soft light, and the DOF are all outstanding. I agree with your choice to leave the shells this time.

This is about as good as it gets.

Registered on March 21, 2009, 202 Posts, 4187 Comments

Comment posted by Jim DeWitt on March 4, 2010 at 1:40 PM

I cannot imagine the day on which one of your photos will bore me, however many times I may have seen it. I especially like three things about the shot: the light, the soft, partial reflection (I thought the bird was on ice viewing the thumbnail) and the low angle. An exceptionally fine shot, and one I'd keep in my portfolio.

Registered on August 28, 2006, 1240 Posts, 8506 Comments

Comment posted by Giorgio Gregori on March 4, 2010 at 1:45 PM

mmm... great sharpness + pleasant perspective + nice reflection + fine BG + agreeable pose = ... maybe excellent shot ?

Giorgio

Registered on November 16, 2007, 87 Posts, 793 Comments

Comment posted by Jeff Loomis on March 4, 2010 at 2:08 PM

Absolutely wonderful! Great job getting low (and wet) to capture this image. I love the eye contact - it really lets me connect with the subject.

Registered on January 26, 2010, 68 Posts, 719 Comments

Comment posted by Dan Moore on March 4, 2010 at 3:13 PM

Inspirational!
Since I have joined I have seen many very -very good photos and a few that are in a league of their own.

Dan

Registered on February 11, 2010, 143 Posts, 1248 Comments

Comment posted by KC Choo on March 4, 2010 at 4:14 PM

Terrific!

Registered on November 15, 2004, 519 Posts, 8278 Comments

Comment posted by Nick Saunders on March 4, 2010 at 4:15 PM

I seem to remember this one. You couldn't have got much lower unless you were a flea on the Mergansers underbelly.
A beautiful shot with magical light and detail, very appealing.

Registered on February 6, 2008, 321 Posts, 3035 Comments

Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on March 4, 2010 at 4:41 PM

Superb in every way. The water looks like ice.
I feel that that bit of shell adds a lot and sure would not remove it.
You get far better shots than I ever did with the 80-400 - you clearly have a magic touch,.
Sandy r

Registered on November 24, 2003, 3937 Posts, 12909 Comments

Comment posted by Dennis Plank on March 4, 2010 at 5:49 PM

Beautiful, Mia! I certainly can't find any nits for this one. I love the water and bg and the lighting on the Mergnaser is wonderful.

Registered on January 28, 2008, 1767 Posts, 23192 Comments

Comment posted by Carol Nichols on March 4, 2010 at 5:51 PM

Wow, what a fabulous image Mia. I really like the mirror effect you have here. I'm glad you posted it again as I did not see it the first time. I have to confess that as much as I have enjoyed seeing your avian photos from Florida (my neck of the woods), I have immensely enjoyed your descriptions of how you obtained those images. It is inspiring to me and really emphasizes the effort needed to create images such as yours. I have to say I miss this since your move to Utah. "Handheld while resting on a pickup truck window" is just not the same. Ya gotta climb a tree or lay in the mud or hang from a rock face - well you get the idea

Registered on November 7, 2007, 161 Posts, 1420 Comments

Comment posted by Ron Bielefeld on March 4, 2010 at 5:51 PM

Mia, I have never seen this image. This is just wonderful. At first I thought the bird was resting on glare ice. Then I saw the shells. The light, low angle, smooth substrate, wonderful sharpness, and great BG make this one of the best I have seen from you. Just spectacular. Very well done.

Registered on December 6, 2008, 360 Posts, 7132 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Ditch on March 4, 2010 at 6:11 PM

A magical image. Thanks for posting it again.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 1031 Posts, 12705 Comments

Comment posted by Stephen Cunliffe on March 4, 2010 at 8:46 PM

Mia, I fell for the ice illusion too! There are many great things to say about this image, and most of them have been said already. I do have one 'but'; the perspective makes the head look unnaturally small and out of proportion to the body. Thats the birder in me talking, not the photographer, who is greatly impressed.

Registered on May 25, 2009, 62 Posts, 202 Comments

Comment posted by Cheryl Molennor on March 4, 2010 at 8:47 PM

Mia, you spend alot of time shooting on your belly but the images you get are just amazing.He looks like he's on ice with a great reflection. . This is gorgeous and that low angle really makes it as does the soft dreamy bg..It's actually very majical an image

Registered on June 30, 2009, 300 Posts, 5051 Comments

Comment posted by Gary Gulash on March 4, 2010 at 9:12 PM

It's great when you can say you "ache" to get home after being in Mexico and Grand Cayman Island. With light and sand and subjects like this I can see why. The soft effect on the feathers and background and the warm light are wonderful.

Registered on January 28, 2005, 879 Posts, 12098 Comments

Comment posted by David Sparks on March 4, 2010 at 9:41 PM

Mia:
It appears as if the merganser is resting on an ice rink. The water is sooo smooth. The water and waves make a terrific backdrop and there is the signature low angle and sharpness. It's natural to want it in your gallery.

Registered on May 26, 2007, 290 Posts, 4270 Comments

Comment posted by Steve Balke on March 4, 2010 at 11:23 PM

This is obviously an outstanding image in every way, Mia. I particularly like the viewing angle and the unusual glass-like sand complete with reflection. I found it interesting that you now would not remove the OOF shell fragment (or even the ones in the lower left corner) and that your decision makes sense since they really don't offer a distraction. I can also appreciate that judging that in processing your image certainly takes experience!

Registered on June 18, 2009, 229 Posts, 2915 Comments

Comment posted by Charlie VanTassel on March 5, 2010 at 12:20 AM

Awesome, Mia. It's getting hard for me to remember when you were a "beginner" since even your older work is pretty incredible.

Registered on October 18, 2006, 644 Posts, 4801 Comments

Comment posted by Onno de Rover on March 5, 2010 at 4:53 AM

Stunning shot Mia, The oncoming wave in the background gives a special effect to the picture. Looks like the bird didn't know if it should get up and get out seeing you lying on the ground in the water! Nice shot, warm colours and good compo.
Cheers, Onno

Registered on December 29, 2009, 38 Posts, 63 Comments

Comment posted by Laura Stafford on March 5, 2010 at 9:42 AM

Mia, I am so glad you posted again. This is a great shot, and it reminds me that shooting a subject at different levels can have pleasing results (even though you did get soaked)

The reflection off the water is awesome; the detail and background are great.

Laura Stafford

Registered on November 3, 2009, 52 Posts, 375 Comments

Comment posted by Ron Dudley on March 5, 2010 at 11:04 AM

I remember this shot well Mia and it fully deserves all the accolades it's getting here. I agree with them all.

I too wish there was another way to get a previously posted image into our permanent gallery.

Registered on March 30, 2007, 437 Posts, 10915 Comments

Comment posted by Charles Gangas on March 5, 2010 at 12:45 PM

Mia-sensational shot. Had I not read your description I might have thought this was a 'celebrity' Merganser posing for a portfolio shoot-Wonderful capture!

Registered on August 12, 2009, 544 Posts, 2414 Comments

Comment posted by Sharon Hallowell on March 5, 2010 at 2:36 PM

I've never seen this before, so am glad you reposted it. It deserves a place in your gallery for sure...one of my favorites of yours now, too. Sharon

Registered on November 1, 2003, 392 Posts, 4810 Comments

Comment posted by Mia McPherson on March 5, 2010 at 2:52 PM

My thanks for the comments thus far on this image.

Registered on June 25, 2007, 491 Posts, 12566 Comments

Comment posted by Hans Spiecker on March 5, 2010 at 8:29 PM

As the others have said, this is worth posting again, Mia. So much good about this photo and many have covered it all. I like your comments about having grown as a photographer. I too find that I now process shots differently than I did just a few years ago. I agree about leaving that shell in the shot, it actually helps the shot look more real and reduces the "ice" image for me. Well done!

Registered on March 23, 2006, 366 Posts, 4649 Comments

Comment posted by István Molnár on March 6, 2010 at 10:07 AM

Nice work.
István

Registered on January 7, 2010, 114 Posts, 704 Comments

Comment posted by Satie Sharma on March 6, 2010 at 1:21 PM

I remember your earlier post of this shot, Mia. Thanks for posting this. I don't mind looking at such a beautiful image again.

Registered on November 11, 2003, 189 Posts, 5335 Comments

Comment posted by Monica Siri on March 6, 2010 at 1:30 PM

Mia,
I have never seen this image before, luckily you reposted it. Superb angle, light, detail, pose, and so on. Perfect in every aspect!

Registered on September 20, 2009, 132 Posts, 3764 Comments

Comment posted by Simon Bennett on March 7, 2010 at 10:09 PM

This image has a wonderful sense of depth, simplicity and clarity.

Registered on February 4, 2007, 350 Posts, 4614 Comments

Comment posted by Rob Drummond on March 8, 2010 at 12:32 AM

The perspective and sideways glance really make this Mia - wonderful shot

cheers
Rob

Registered on November 8, 2003, 617 Posts, 8267 Comments