The Plunge

Gallery: AvianPosted February 8, 2015273 views13 comments

This is the Torrent duckling that emerged from behind its mom and began swimming upstream with its parents. This little guy moved from atop a rock and gingerly made his way down the rock's edge and plunged into the water...safely.

I'll try and post the sequential shots leading up to this point in the Forums section in case anyone would like to check them out.

Papallacta River, Guango Ecuador

D810
500mm f/4
TC-14E II
1/1600s @ f/7.1
ISO 1250
Even
Gitzo w/ Wimberley II

Comments

13 comments

Comment posted by Stephen Kaluski on February 8, 2015 at 12:24 PM

Hey Chuck, now this does ROCK!!!!!

Superbly timed, and I love the placement within frame. The FG water cascading winding/channelling its way through the rocks conveys the ferociousity and speed, certainly a leap of faith for this wee chick. If you add two Graduate adjustments angled/align with the left rock and then the right rock you can then make some finer adjustments to pullout more detail & tonal depth adding more richness I feel to the image. Just viewing the larger version and I think you may have been a wee bit cautious on the blacks, but these are just my personal thoughts so... An excellent image for sure.

TFS
Steve

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

Comment posted by Luke Ormand on February 8, 2015 at 1:57 PM

Fantastic image - talk about the right place at the right time! Love that roiling water too. Incredible

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

Comment posted by Jim Zablotny on February 8, 2015 at 4:13 PM

Hi Chuck,

I saw your sequence in the forums. Pretty awesome with those feet ready to dig into the water. Well done.

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

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

Comment posted by Jefferson Silva on February 8, 2015 at 5:36 PM

Perfect timing, Charles.
Nice image.

Registered on December 18, 2012, 162 Posts, 975 Comments

Comment posted by Rob Drummond on February 9, 2015 at 1:52 AM

Whoa! - not for the faint-hearted. Great capture Chuck

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

Comment posted by Jerry Austin on February 9, 2015 at 8:14 AM

Great action shot. That little chick is one brave little bird. Well captured.

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

Comment posted by Hans Overduin on February 9, 2015 at 10:55 AM

A real Winner, Chuck !

. A joy to watch, you must have had an amazing time there ! Congrats !Hans

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

Comment posted by John Robinson on February 9, 2015 at 1:14 PM

Grand behaviour shot Charles. Excellent !
JohnR

Registered on March 2, 2008, 535 Posts, 2453 Comments

Comment posted by Brian Gatlin on February 9, 2015 at 8:26 PM

what a great moment to capture, Chuck--I don't say it often but I wish it was mine! love that pose and the rushing water.

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

Comment posted by Rick Turner on February 9, 2015 at 9:40 PM

Wow. Love it and feel it too.

Registered on February 18, 2012, 534 Posts, 2755 Comments

Comment posted by keith mitchell on February 10, 2015 at 4:01 AM

One excellent shot Chuck, great the way you timed the action on this, very well done.

Keith.

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

Comment posted by Ray Whitt on February 10, 2015 at 7:40 AM

Outstanding catch! Really love this shot.

Ray

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

Comment posted by Nate Chappell on February 11, 2015 at 6:36 PM

A super moment and shot you captured here Chuck, love the flailing feet and the spray of the water and your placement of the chick in the frame, amazing that they can swim in that environment at that early age.

Registered on February 1, 2006, 1158 Posts, 19528 Comments