Duckling w/Original Post

Gallery: AvianPosted May 3, 2010151 views15 comments

I had the chance to photograph 8 ducklings yesterday at Quogue Wildlife Refuge. Unfortunately, the lighting was less than desirable so I was switching between my 300 f/4 and my 105 f/2.8 + 1.7X TC in an effort to get enough SS as these little guys (and girls) wouldn't stop moving.

This is FF, though I cloned out a small piece of vegetation attached to the ducklings bill, and used the healing brush in the lower right corner to replace a distracting brown/grey OOF area with the green you see.

Nikon D300s 300 f4 HH laying down
f/4
1/640s
ISO 1250
-.33 EC

I sharpened the head of the duck twice and the body once, with a minimal noise reduction on the background only. Another shot of a duckling can be seen in the macro/close-up gallery

- Luke

Comments

15 comments

Comment posted by Michael Lotito on May 3, 2010 at 9:19 PM

I love it Luke! I am a sucker for baby birds! It looks like you made the most out of your lighting.

Registered on June 26, 2009, 181 Posts, 1558 Comments

Comment posted by Dan Moore on May 3, 2010 at 9:21 PM

This little guy is a little unsure of what to do and how to so it. Very enjoyable shot. I will check the other gallery.
Thanks
Dan

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

Comment posted by Nate Chappell on May 3, 2010 at 9:28 PM

What a cute little duckling well captured Luke. The green in the bottom right really pulls my eye, I think if it was darker it might work better.

Registered on February 1, 2006, 1158 Posts, 19528 Comments

Comment posted by Terry Sohl on May 3, 2010 at 10:39 PM

Cute little dude, and it's a great pose with him about to enter the water. Nicely done!

Registered on November 1, 2003, 513 Posts, 6889 Comments

Comment posted by Brian Gatlin on May 3, 2010 at 11:11 PM

very cute, Luke. your processing looks good, though I might try to tone down the highlights on the bill, and like Nate said, maybe darken the lower right a bit.

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

Comment posted by Dennis Plank on May 3, 2010 at 11:56 PM

Fun shot, Luke. You caught all the hesitancy of youth in this image.

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

Comment posted by Gary Gulash on May 4, 2010 at 12:48 AM

Nice close up view of this little one. I like the tentative approach to the water, just wish for a bit more room at the bottom. Good work on the sharpening especially.

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

Comment posted by KC Choo on May 4, 2010 at 9:51 AM

Lovely shot, but that "healing" you did seems out of place.

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

Comment posted by Jim Hackley on May 4, 2010 at 11:02 AM

Nice job on getting this close up shot Luke, I might be inclined to leave the lower right corner on the darker side, for me the lighter color does draw my eye to that corner.

Registered on September 17, 2009, 302 Posts, 5535 Comments

Comment posted by Kurt Bowman on May 4, 2010 at 11:34 AM

I like most of the image Luke. Love the moment of the duckling going into the water. Like the low angle a lot, but the processing on the lower right is what I am not sold on. Guess I would have to see what it looked like before. But it unfortunately detracts from the image for me. Nate might be right...that darker would be a bit better. and less distracting

Registered on June 19, 2008, 1005 Posts, 8028 Comments

Comment posted by Luke Ormand on May 4, 2010 at 12:26 PM

Thanks for all the comments and suggestions. I'll post the original when I got home tonight. I should have been more clear that 1/2 of the green OOF area was already there - I just extended it to make it more uniformed, but we'll see what you guys think of the original. Thanks again

Registered on February 4, 2009, 1093 Posts, 7035 Comments

Comment posted by Monica Siri on May 4, 2010 at 4:04 PM

I've enjoyed viewing this baby. Very nice image!

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

Comment posted by Luke Ormand on May 4, 2010 at 8:44 PM

Here is the original as promised

- Luke

Registered on February 4, 2009, 1093 Posts, 7035 Comments

Comment posted by Nate Chappell on May 4, 2010 at 9:34 PM

I like the vegetation on the beak and wouldn't have cloned it out but I can see why you did what you did with the area on the lower right.

Registered on February 1, 2006, 1158 Posts, 19528 Comments

Comment posted by Derrick Lipinski on May 5, 2010 at 11:39 PM

Sweet! The Pose works very well with the subject.

Registered on October 5, 2007, 58 Posts, 2039 Comments