Lesser Scaup with REPOST

Beautiful light Craig showing the nice head and feather colors. I like the water ripples as well

Nice job Craig, love the open eye with the tucked bill. I never know what to do on composition on a shot like this, when the body is facing one way, and the head/eye the other. Which direction to put leading space?

Craig,
excellent detail, nice water and lazy pose of this nice duck. Well done!

A very nice comp Craig. I like the water and the resting pose.

The pose makes the shot for me Craig - I've yet to see it in this species. I also like the water - especially the top third of the frame. Personally, I'd have put the "leading space" to the left of the bird but that's just me.

Craig,

I like the visible eye and the bill being tucked in, the reflection especially with the multiple eyes in it, the hues of the water and the resting pose.

I would allow for more space on the left side of the frame since that is the direction the duck is facing.

I found the comments suggesting the crop should be in favor of less room on the right side and more room on the left, the side the turned head is facing. I could probably go either way but I've done just that with this 2nd image, and wonder if now the breast area and the way his BODY IS FACING, doesn't make the right side look crowded. Maybe the solution in this case would have been to leave him centered?

Great detail here Craig and nice to get the purples on the scaup's head, not always easy. I think you are right, dead center is probably the best for this particular image.

Craig:
Centered would work for me. I like the pose (unlike Ron, I see it often in FL) and the excellent detail in black/white stripes. I don't recall seeing the feathers in positions that produced this much heterogeneity in the stripe pattern. I have trouble with proper exposure of scaups but your exposure looks perfect to me.

I prefer the first crop, excellent detail and relaxed pose. Very nice Craig.

Beautiful shot Craig...love the detail!

Larger view is tremendous, I love that shade of deep purple on the head with the yellow eye and the fine markings on the wing - mother nature is a heck of a designer. I prefer your original post.

Great detail in the larger image Craig - like the alertness despite having its head tucked away

cheers
Rob

nicely exposed and great details, Craig. I think centered is probably the way to go here.

Nice detail; fine water.

I'd go with equal space on both sides here and prefer the original composition to that of the repost.

I like the chill-out pose and detail. I'd go centred.