Double-crested cormorant + addition

Gallery: AvianPosted December 29, 2013159 views17 comments

I have a wonderland just a half mile from my house and the cormorants have been out in force lately and allow me to get very close to them. This morning was a rainy, overcast day but I decided to see what I could get. I got some great cormorant shots, but this one is my absolute favorite from this morning. I captured this juvenile cormorant exactly at the right moment when the water was calm reflecting him very nicely and achieving some good detail in both cormorant and its reflection.

Shot with a Canon 100-400 L lens at 400mm, f9, 1/500, ISO 1000

Comments

17 comments

Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on December 29, 2013 at 10:34 PM

Excellent image!
Great pose, sharp eye and feathers, and true colours.
Not sure about the crop, though - a more traditional landscape-oriented comp would allow more of the interesting water rings around the bird.
My favorite of your shots so far!
Sandy R

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

Comment posted by Sandy Scott on December 29, 2013 at 10:38 PM

Thanks Sandy, I shot the thing in portrait mode and had nothing to crop! I do agree with you, I think it would have been much nicer in landscape mode with all of the rings showing. Live and learn!

Registered on December 6, 2013, 85 Posts, 345 Comments

Comment posted by Sandy Scott on December 29, 2013 at 10:46 PM

Sandy, as a learning experience, here is one I took seconds later in landscape mode. The rings are not as pronounced, but I guess I would like to have the main shot in this mode. What say you?

Registered on December 6, 2013, 85 Posts, 345 Comments

Comment posted by David Rowe on December 30, 2013 at 3:43 AM

Excellent detail and pleasing reflection but I'm seriously worried by lack of canvas on the right side. Try this: Add canvas and clone out the nasty 'imperfections' in the water behind the bird's back and tail. Clone from still water to the virgin canvas. To add a final touch to the front ripple: Copy a selection of the leftmost portion and execute a horizontal flip before pasting on the right side.

Registered on December 20, 2013, 133 Posts, 286 Comments

Comment posted by Brian Gatlin on December 30, 2013 at 7:45 AM

nice pose and reflection, Sandy, and the overcast gave you nice even light. it's too bad that the tail is clipped.

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

Comment posted by Sandy Scott on December 30, 2013 at 7:57 AM

Brian, it is so frustrating because I was so concentrating on the wonderful line of the cormorants head/neck versus the symmetrical reflection, I simply disregarded the end of the tail and candidly I did not even notice it until your comment. Little by little, I will hopefully evolve into thinking like a real photographer!

Registered on December 6, 2013, 85 Posts, 345 Comments

Comment posted by Sandy Scott on December 30, 2013 at 7:59 AM

Thanks David, so true. I'm not sure I have the PP skill to do all of that. I might just try for another shot in that these guys are out daily and they are just a half mile from my house. I will see about tackling the project though.

Registered on December 6, 2013, 85 Posts, 345 Comments

Comment posted by Dennis Plank on December 30, 2013 at 2:09 PM

Nice, Sandy. Excellent detail. If I look really closely, I see a hint of color noise in the water. You might want to run a bit of noise reduction on the bg.

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

Comment posted by Sandy Scott on December 30, 2013 at 2:18 PM

Thanks Dennis, will do. A bit higher on the ISO than I would have liked for the shot.

Registered on December 6, 2013, 85 Posts, 345 Comments

Comment posted by Matthew Studebaker on December 30, 2013 at 3:27 PM

oh yes, nice job on the second shot in landscape orientation.

Registered on December 21, 2013, 11 Posts, 82 Comments

Comment posted by Sandy Scott on December 30, 2013 at 3:54 PM

Thanks Matthew - that's the way I wish I would have captured the first shot!

Registered on December 6, 2013, 85 Posts, 345 Comments

Comment posted by Ken Archer on December 30, 2013 at 4:31 PM

Both photos are keepers for sure, David's suggestion is excellent and will make this image much more pleasing to view. The technique he describes is fairly easy to perform and you will be able to re-work this photo as you gain more photo-shop knowledge. Keep up the great work.

Registered on October 28, 2004, 222 Posts, 6683 Comments

Comment posted by Sandy Scott on December 30, 2013 at 4:40 PM

Thanks Ken, I appreciate it! I am really excited about the one I am going to post this evening of a direct eye contact with a cormorant. I love the way it came out - shot it this morning!

Registered on December 6, 2013, 85 Posts, 345 Comments

Comment posted by Rob Drummond on December 31, 2013 at 12:21 AM

Nice reflection and still water Sandy. Maybe a little more room behind??

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

Comment posted by Sandy Scott on December 31, 2013 at 7:55 AM

Rob, probably true. Here in the early part of my career I do have a tendency to crop very tight in the view finder.

Registered on December 6, 2013, 85 Posts, 345 Comments

Comment posted by keith mitchell on December 31, 2013 at 8:12 AM

Sandy little nits covered ,you have an excellent looking image.

Keith.

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

Comment posted by Sandy Scott on December 31, 2013 at 8:35 AM

Thanks Keith, I appreciate it!

Registered on December 6, 2013, 85 Posts, 345 Comments