Double-crested Cormorant

Gallery: AvianPosted May 11, 2010226 views28 comments

Phalacrocorax auritus

Sorry for my absence recently, life has a habit of getting crazy at times, doesn't it? Hopefully I will be able to get back into my normal routine of posting & commenting.

This image was taken last month at a pond near where I live. I find the Double-crested Cormorants to be challenging birds to photograph because of their dark feathers, this one posed for me for quiet some time.

D200, Gitzo CF tripod, Black Widow head, f10, 1/350, ISO 320, 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light, 55% of original image. Please view the larger image to evaluate sharpness & details.

As always, I sincerely appreciate your comments & critiques, thank you for looking.

Comments

28 comments

Comment posted by Dan Walters on May 11, 2010 at 9:29 PM

Great detail in the cormorant and I like the feathers on the head. Like the pose of the bird as well.

Registered on October 30, 2005, 405 Posts, 3693 Comments

Comment posted by Dan Moore on May 11, 2010 at 9:38 PM

Welcome back! I was beginning to worry.
Great pose you caught here. Getting the feathers on the back and tail along with the head turn is amazing. Upper tier as usual.

Dan

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

Comment posted by Ron Pullen on May 11, 2010 at 9:46 PM

I like the look the bird is giving, very nice image. Ron

Registered on December 18, 2005, 74 Posts, 1413 Comments

Comment posted by Luke Ormand on May 11, 2010 at 10:09 PM

I was just looking at your gallery today and thinking "hmm... where has Mia gone?" I like this DC Cormorant shot for its uniqueness and the natural perch (which is hard to come by in my region).

Detail looks good, the only question I have is the saturation of the blue... I've always thought (and seen) it a little lighter/more saturated but that could possibly be a regional variation.

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

Comment posted by Brian Gatlin on May 11, 2010 at 10:09 PM

really nice pose and comp, Mia, and very nice job with the DOF--that really makes the shot for me. I also like the double crests and the interesting contrast between the fresh and worn feathers in the wings and tail.

glad to see you back posting, and hope all's well.

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

Comment posted by Sharon Hallowell on May 11, 2010 at 10:10 PM

Missed you

Wonderful pose and exposure. Sharon

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

Comment posted by Angela McCain on May 11, 2010 at 10:14 PM

These can be very difficult to photograph. Excellent detail in the feathers and eye and beak features are really sharp. The crests look like false eyelashes here.

Registered on April 19, 2009, 367 Posts, 3589 Comments

Comment posted by David Haynes on May 11, 2010 at 10:23 PM

Mia,
This is outstanding. I really like the head turn and the eye detail is very nice. Love the Breeding plumage. Sharp throughout. Exposure is spot on. Very Nice Capture!!

Registered on February 20, 2010, 110 Posts, 1511 Comments

Comment posted by Dennis Plank on May 11, 2010 at 10:55 PM

Welcome back, Mia. We missed you. This is a wonderful pose and it really shows off the double crests. The angle of the light really brought out the textures in the plumage. I think you could take a bit more off the bottom, but that's just my taste. Beautiful image.

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

Comment posted by Gary Gulash on May 11, 2010 at 11:30 PM

You were definitely up to the challenge the blacks on this species offered, excellent detail. Unique pose is artistic. I like the blue-grey sky background, it simplifies and unifies well. Nice to see you back in action, I was thinking about you today and wondered where you went.

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

Comment posted by KC Choo on May 12, 2010 at 12:18 AM

This looks absolutely fine, excellent capture, and a nice pose! Good to see your images again, Mia!

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

Comment posted by Mauro Pasquero on May 12, 2010 at 3:24 AM

Hi Mia, you are back! I missed a lot your photos and your sage comments

By the way this is a terrific shot!

Mauro

Registered on January 21, 2010, 650 Posts, 2500 Comments

Comment posted by David Chauvin on May 12, 2010 at 4:19 AM

Excellent detail in the head and feet and the double crests are really cool. The techs are right on and the pose is interestingly different. For me, the comp seems weighted to the right and a slight move to the center would feel more balanced, but that is always a judgment call. This is really nice as presented.

Registered on August 5, 2004, 1007 Posts, 5595 Comments

Comment posted by Kenneth Arni on May 12, 2010 at 7:00 AM

Nice to have you back Mia, and what a great photo. Great detail and pose. Love the eye contact and the feathers.

Registered on December 24, 2008, 112 Posts, 629 Comments

Comment posted by Rob Drummond on May 12, 2010 at 7:42 AM

The larger image has wonderful detail Mia and the I like the pose - terrific shot

cheers
Rob

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

Comment posted by Ron Dudley on May 12, 2010 at 8:50 AM

Mia, I love the pose and the perfect light on the face and wings which reveals that wonderfully interesting feather pattern of the species. Interesting perch and I like the look at the scaly leg. The wind blown crests have a devil appearance. I should have wandered back with you instead of focusing on the mergansers.

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

Comment posted by Kurt Bowman on May 12, 2010 at 10:22 AM

Excellent exposure on the blacks Mia! The ehad turn is perect and the perch is the perfect setting. VERY glad to see you back. I missed seeing your work and comments! Hope all is well.

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

Comment posted by Richard Ditch on May 12, 2010 at 11:26 AM

Excellent. The body/head position here is wonderful and makes the image for me. It gives the image depth and life.

Glad to seed you posting again.

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

Comment posted by Mia McPherson on May 12, 2010 at 1:22 PM

Thanks for the comments thus far on this image. I appreciate them.

Luke, you questioned the saturation of the blue so I am presuming you mean the eye of the cormorant? I've discovered that the eyes of the Double-crested Cormorants here in the western US aren't nearly as vibrantly colored as the ones I would see in Florida. I have yet to see one with eyes that vibrant here. The other difference in southeastern birds is that the "crests" are mostly black, here in Utah the crests are lighter with streaks of whites in them. I'm assuming those are just geographic variations within the species.

Thanks for all the welcome back comments, I appreciate them!

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

Comment posted by Peter Conway on May 12, 2010 at 1:41 PM

Hi Mia,

Sometimes I drop in on the site when I don't have much time and I always look for your posts. So glad to see you back!

I love the pose! The techs are always perfect.

Peter

Registered on June 25, 2007, 347 Posts, 3913 Comments

Comment posted by Luke Ormand on May 12, 2010 at 3:01 PM

Mia,

Thanks for answering that - I was wondering if I was crazy or not.. well, I guess that is yet to be answered but at least you cleared up the cormorant eye issue!

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

Comment posted by Ron Bielefeld on May 12, 2010 at 4:49 PM

Here you go again, MIa. Taking a common species and making it look really good. I really like this image. The pose is great and the quality of the image is super. Great techs with this shot. f/10 to get the whole bird tail to back of head sharp. I love the details of this species eye's, always have. Super job.

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

Comment posted by Lon Sharp on May 12, 2010 at 8:35 PM

Pose + light + Mia = Great image!

Registered on December 9, 2007, 258 Posts, 9892 Comments

Comment posted by Howard Cheek on May 12, 2010 at 9:27 PM

Excellent comp and I just love that pose Mia, a winning image

Registered on July 24, 2008, 1201 Posts, 10758 Comments

Comment posted by Simon Bennett on May 13, 2010 at 3:26 AM

Most interesting pose and wonderful clarity.

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

Comment posted by Monica Siri on May 13, 2010 at 11:31 AM

Great pose, detail and comp, Mia. Great shot as usual.
I'm glad to see you again. Thanks for sharing!

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

Comment posted by Ian Mason on May 13, 2010 at 4:27 PM

Great to see you posting again - I definitely missed your images and comments! Crazy looking bird too - great composition as always.

Registered on December 14, 2005, 399 Posts, 2305 Comments

Comment posted by Nate Chappell on May 17, 2010 at 1:43 AM

Great shot Mia

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