The Chase

Gallery: AvianPosted December 30, 2011201 views9 comments

This Snowy was following two Mergansers I guess because they were stirring up the fish. This image in the sequence is just as the Merganser (the ripples in the water) is chasing a fish and the Snowy is just about to strike. The next two images show the strike and the Egret getting a small fish an the Merganser's head popping up. Unfortunately, they were a little soft.

I had set my EV to minus 1 so I would not blowout the whites just before the action started. I think I am learning from the advise I receive from the NPNers.

7D with 500mm
Tripod
1/2500 at f / 5.6
ISO 320
EV - 1.0

Comments and Critiques are always appreciated.

Oh yes, I cropped to a pano so I could eliminate the deed space at the top. Wish is was all water without the small islet of mud and veg.

Comments

9 comments

Comment posted by Philip Hodgkins on December 30, 2011 at 12:52 PM

Typical frenetic Snowy behavior. I like the action a lot, with the water droplets, the Snowy poised to strike and the lifted wings. The contrast is a bit heavy, with the whites at the edge of gamut on the back, head, breast and thighs. A levels adjustment might bring out better detail in the bright whites.

Registered on July 24, 2006, 2741 Posts, 12349 Comments

Comment posted by Jaymes Dempsey on December 30, 2011 at 1:40 PM

Great capture! Love the action, and I like the land in the foreground, it adds some environment to this. Perhaps the back is slightly hot, maybe it could be brought down slightly...
Jaymes

Registered on June 28, 2010, 47 Posts, 590 Comments

Comment posted by Scott Frye on December 30, 2011 at 2:58 PM

I like the crop and it comes with a good story. I have not seen the snowy/merganser interaction and this does a good job of showing that relationship.

Registered on February 3, 2007, 387 Posts, 1136 Comments

Comment posted by Suzanne Huot on December 30, 2011 at 6:39 PM

Really effective capture of the story you are telling us.To have caught all the elements of the story so well is excellent .The movement under the water ,bonus the reflection plus you did so well on the whites .A most interesting and well captured image.

Registered on December 28, 2010, 32 Posts, 240 Comments

Comment posted by Ron Bielefeld on December 30, 2011 at 7:11 PM

Neat interaction captured Harry. Not sure about the comp. It feels a bit tight on the top for me.

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

Comment posted by David Haynes on December 30, 2011 at 9:10 PM

Harry,
You've captured another feeding behavior image and I can't wait to see the others in this series. Love the pano perspective on this one. See you soon Harry!

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

Comment posted by Terry Sohl on December 31, 2011 at 9:58 AM

I really like the composition on this, it makes the shot for me. I like the reflection, and I like the curved slivers of "land" down towards the bottom.

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

Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on December 31, 2011 at 12:27 PM

Excellent action you caught! Love the submerged duck, water drops, and pose of the egret!
Sandy

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

Comment posted by Ron Dudley on January 1, 2012 at 6:35 AM

Very interesting behavioral image. The egret is sharp and the pose works well with the behavior. The position of the reflection in the water is just right. If this were mine I'd leave a bit more room up top if I had it.

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