Gadwall Pair

Gallery: AvianPosted May 21, 2013168 views15 comments

I found this pair of Gadwalls one morning a few weeks ago at Ridgefield NWR. I watched and photographed them foraging and preening for a while. Then, I noticed the hen showing signs she wanted to fly to another area. Knowing I had to much power for a flight photo, I quickly removed the 1.4x tele-converter from my lens. I just got refocused when the pair took flight.

Canon MkIV, 600mm, 1/2500, f8, ISO 640, manual spot meter

All your comments and suggestions are very much appreciated.

Ken Archer

Comments

15 comments

Comment posted by Claude Dagenais on May 21, 2013 at 5:35 PM

Super shot Ken, excellent wing placement, very sharp. Nice to see the pair on the wing like that.

Registered on April 10, 2013, 56 Posts, 571 Comments

Comment posted by Tjie Poo on May 21, 2013 at 5:52 PM

Lovely capture Ken. I prefer to have more room in front and below the ducks if it allows you to. Still a superb image !

Registered on December 4, 2012, 51 Posts, 511 Comments

Comment posted by LeRoy Gunderson on May 21, 2013 at 7:00 PM

I have to say the same. Very sharp, clear, and getting a pair together like that is great. Every time I try to a quick lens change something always goes wrong and I miss the shot. Nice work!

Registered on December 14, 2004, 27 Posts, 112 Comments

Comment posted by Howard Cheek on May 21, 2013 at 7:18 PM

Excellent job of getting the pair like this, hard to do.
Especially like the wing positions, it's that yin-yang thing

Very good detail, techs look great!

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

Comment posted by Craig Strand on May 21, 2013 at 11:43 PM

This is a wonderful shot Ken. I have not had a lot of luck with the 600 and getting the auto focus to capture images like this.
Love the wing positions and detail!

Registered on March 30, 2008, 416 Posts, 2885 Comments

Comment posted by Jim DeWitt on May 22, 2013 at 1:09 AM

Excellent, Ken. Lovely launch shot. Gadwall explode off the water and are a real challenge to get at lift off. Very well done!

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

Comment posted by Martin Dunn on May 22, 2013 at 3:30 AM

Lovely photo Ken. I'm not a big fan of ducks but this is super. yet another situation where familiarity with your subject pays off.
Spot on exposure and great capture of 2 birds in flight.

Registered on February 20, 2013, 198 Posts, 1011 Comments

Comment posted by Ralph Kerr on May 22, 2013 at 7:08 AM

Beautiful shot Ken. Great that you noticed the female getting ready to fly, and that your quick change of lens worked. I like the detail here. I had never noticed that bit of brown on the Gadwall wing before seeing this photo. In a perfect world, I would enjoy a bit more space, but this is a great photo as is.

Registered on January 30, 2007, 369 Posts, 852 Comments

Comment posted by Roger Kirchen on May 23, 2013 at 1:37 AM

Excellent image, Ken. So nice to see them both together and sharp as a tack. Love these water droplets falling off the birds.

Registered on March 6, 2011, 95 Posts, 847 Comments

Comment posted by William Bickle on May 23, 2013 at 4:03 PM

Hello Ken

The water droplets Really add to the Image. And good to get both Quite Sharp in DOF!

They sure have fast beating wings! Even at 1/2500 the Tips are soft. But I think this adds to the Overall Dynamics!!

Bill

Registered on June 13, 2011, 183 Posts, 1702 Comments

Comment posted by Sharon Hallowell on May 23, 2013 at 6:43 PM

This is really good! I like the falling water drops and to get both so in focus is amazing! Sharon

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

Comment posted by keith mitchell on May 24, 2013 at 3:15 AM

Ken you managed to get them both sharp and in focus, lens change certainly worked ,super image.

Keith.

Registered on July 12, 2008, 127 Posts, 1735 Comments

Comment posted by Rick Andrews on May 25, 2013 at 2:16 PM

Great anticipated shot Ken and very well composed, nicely done!

Registered on December 31, 2011, 45 Posts, 222 Comments

Comment posted by Rob Drummond on May 26, 2013 at 6:59 AM

Stunning Ken - and both in focus, both with eye contact and complementary wing positions

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

Comment posted by Roger Leekam on June 1, 2013 at 3:05 PM

Ken, excellent detail & action. The habitat & water droplets add greatly.

Registered on May 28, 2009, 83 Posts, 646 Comments