Baahama Pintail

Gallery: AvianPosted November 29, 2014127 views6 comments

Geneva, Switzerland
D300s 300mm f2.8 ED VR2 with 2TC series 3 attached
ISO 1200 1/320 at f /8.0 EV 0.00 WB Auto Centre weighted average
Hand held
Raw file original
Photoshop PS6 Canvas added to left hand edge

The time was late afternoon, grey and very overcast. I was walking along the harbour quayside and feeling rather despondent when surprise, surprise! Three Bahama Pintails . I couldn’t imagine what they were up to in Switzerland; presumably here to check their bank accounts. This one struck a jaunty pose with beak aligned with its tail. No doubt the balance was better than expected!

Your crits. and suggestions are most welcome

Comments

6 comments

Comment posted by Jerry Austin on November 29, 2014 at 8:51 AM

Georgeous bird and gorgeous capture. My only suggestion might be to lighten the water a bit. Well done.

Registered on January 6, 2012, 651 Posts, 3448 Comments

Comment posted by Jerry Austin on November 29, 2014 at 8:52 AM

Sorry, I meant darken the water a bit.

Registered on January 6, 2012, 651 Posts, 3448 Comments

Comment posted by Scott Frye on November 29, 2014 at 9:09 PM

Interesting colors in the duck and nicely presented

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

Comment posted by Patrick O'Healy on November 30, 2014 at 11:43 AM

David,
I agree with Jerry's suggestion to darken the water. I wonder how the shot would look less tightly cropped with more space on the left.

Registered on March 13, 2011, 326 Posts, 1679 Comments

Comment posted by Gary Minish on December 1, 2014 at 12:39 AM

If the 2TC stands for 2x teleconverter and considering the DX crop factor, you must have been somewhere around 900mm equivalent. No wonder you didn't have much room on either side of the duck! I love the pastel colors of this duck with the splash of bright red on it's beak and the exposure is right on plus it's nice and sharp with lots of detail. Nice shot, David!

Registered on February 4, 2006, 625 Posts, 3583 Comments

Comment posted by David Rowe on December 1, 2014 at 6:05 AM

Thanks for your suggestions. This is but one of several shots all taken under unfavourable conditions. Ideally I would have liked a lower view point with shallower angle of depression. Good sense prevailed and I decided against being seen rolling around on the harbour quayside. The birds were rather too close, thus resulting in chopped beaks or tails; this particular shot was practically a 100% crop.
David

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