Bufflehead Dive

Gallery: AvianPosted January 10, 2015135 views10 comments

While photographing these guys, I tried to capture their dives to obtain food. This image represent the point where he thrust upward. This caused his body to come out of the water and the depression in the surface of the water. The IQ is not stellar, but I thought it showed an interesting behavior.

Processed using Lightroom 5 and Photoshop CC 2014. Comments and critiques welcome.

Canon 7D Mark II
Canon 200-400 f4 L IS
f7.1
1/2000s
ISO 640
Focal Length 560mm (Teleconverter engaged)

Comments

10 comments

Comment posted by Jerry Austin on January 10, 2015 at 1:44 PM

This is just as the tail went it. Again, I thought this made for an interesting peek at what is going on in a dive.

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

Comment posted by Stephen Kaluski on January 10, 2015 at 2:11 PM

Hi Jerry, as I mention in my rely on a previous image, adding some more selective USM to the subject will help a lot to bring more detail & clarity, especially based on the software you are using. The hole created by the birds surfacing creates a unique capture. Nicely framed, cool to have the reflection in.

TFS
Steve

Registered on March 25, 2007, 189 Posts, 1064 Comments

Comment posted by Jim Zablotny on January 10, 2015 at 2:51 PM

Hi Jerry,

I agree with Steve on the use of some selective sharpening to get some of those details on the head. The concavity of the water is a neat capture and you can now say that you have been mooned by a bufflehead

. Well done for these captures

...........................Jim

Registered on January 17, 2004, 705 Posts, 3594 Comments

Comment posted by Philip Hodgkins on January 10, 2015 at 3:59 PM

I tend to concur on the sharpening. IMO, however, smart sharpening is a much more effective tool. Topaz detail and NIK Viveza are both excellent as well for bringing out structure.

Both photos are unique in that they portray actions that would not register on the eye.

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

Comment posted by Luke Ormand on January 10, 2015 at 4:38 PM

Love the vacuum effect created on the backend of the bird - looks like it's being sucked into a vortex! I just wish, for the purposes of this specific image and that unusual effect that the bird was centered in the frame.

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

Comment posted by Alberto Patiño on January 10, 2015 at 6:37 PM

A great shot - the cone in the water is simply phenomenal, I don't see the IQ being a problem!

Registered on December 2, 2014, 278 Posts, 1736 Comments

Comment posted by Peter Cross on January 10, 2015 at 11:38 PM

Wow, that's cool Jerry. Never would have thought that this was going on. I'll bet there is some sort of physical reason they do this, such as a boost in speed or reduced effort, that caused them to develop this particular start to their dive. I wonder if other diving ducks begin this way? There you have a research project.

Registered on April 3, 2010, 271 Posts, 1342 Comments

Comment posted by Hans Overduin on January 11, 2015 at 7:36 AM

Nice shot Jerry, I like the 'hole in the water' that seems to release the duck.. Excellent moment, with nice texture of the water surface ! Cheers, Hans

Registered on August 31, 2011, 491 Posts, 3807 Comments

Comment posted by Ken Watkins on January 11, 2015 at 10:51 PM

Hi Jerry,
What a fascinating image this is

Who could have thought this happened?
Perhaps a tad more sharpening but not a "deal breaker"

Registered on December 15, 2010, 1537 Posts, 4877 Comments

Comment posted by Ray Whitt on January 17, 2015 at 11:19 PM

The pool of blue around the bird really adds to this shot, it is excellent. Nice work,

Ray

Registered on May 27, 2011, 92 Posts, 2619 Comments