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American Avocet
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American Avocet

by Richard Ditch

Gallery: AvianPosted March 9, 20072,645 views33 comments
American Avocet (Recurvirostra americana)

Place: Gilbert Water Ranch, AZ, USA
Date: March 9, 2007
Equipment: Nikon D200, Nikkor AF-S 300/2.8 & TC20E (2x), tripod
Exposure: aperture priority matrix meter, ISO 200, 1/1250th @ f/8, -0.7 ev comp
Raw, PSCS2 on Mac G4, full frame

Personal time has been hard to find lately, so I enjoyed a couple hours at the Water Ranch this morning more than usual. I couldn't believe how lucky I was with this shot.

Honest critiques requested; all comments appreciated.

Comments

33 comments
Comment posted by Paul Fusco on March 10, 2007 at 12:06 AM
Beauty, Rich!

- Paul
Registered on November 17, 2003, 283 Posts, 1163 Comments
Comment posted by Joe Gunja on March 10, 2007 at 12:21 AM
Rich this is awesome. Nothing but enviable
Registered on May 6, 2006, 88 Posts, 45 Comments
Comment posted by Nate Chappell on March 10, 2007 at 12:24 AM
Sweet :toast: :toast:
Registered on February 1, 2006, 1158 Posts, 19528 Comments
Comment posted by Brian E. Small on March 10, 2007 at 12:43 AM
Just killer Rich!!
Registered on November 1, 2003, 147 Posts, 933 Comments
Comment posted by Byron Wong on March 10, 2007 at 1:55 AM
Great shot Rich. Nice job with the exposure. I really like the lighting here too. :smile:
Registered on November 25, 2006, 62 Posts, 1510 Comments
Comment posted by David Marotta on March 10, 2007 at 2:07 AM
Absolutely beautiful...the artistic aspect of this shot is awesome to say the least. Incredible pose, fabulous bokeh, and the colors are outstanding. With all that said, I rest my case. :toast: I'd love to have this framed and mounted on my wall, any wall for that matter. :jump:
Registered on January 3, 2007, 111 Posts, 622 Comments
Comment posted by Jim DeWitt on March 10, 2007 at 3:36 AM
An interesting pose, excellent exposure and amazing colors, with the AVAC's head complementing the background. Very nice. :toast:
Registered on August 28, 2006, 1240 Posts, 8506 Comments
Comment posted by Ian Hardy on March 10, 2007 at 4:15 AM
Richard,

This is a wonderful shot. Well done :toast:
Registered on August 1, 2005, 37 Posts, 346 Comments
Comment posted by Basil Greber on March 10, 2007 at 6:02 AM
Fantastic. What else can I say... :smile:

Basil
Registered on November 8, 2005, 219 Posts, 1340 Comments
Comment posted by Guy Rogers on March 10, 2007 at 7:33 AM
Hello Richard. Beautiful the colours of the bird and background work together so well. :wavey:
Registered on January 16, 2007, 450 Posts, 995 Comments
Comment posted by Bob Mullen on March 10, 2007 at 9:30 AM
Wonderful capture, Richard! :toast:
Registered on June 4, 2006, 133 Posts, 1056 Comments
Comment posted by Simon Littlejohn on March 10, 2007 at 10:32 AM
This is stunning image :toast:

Simon Littlejohn

WWW.WILDASLIFE.COM
Registered on November 3, 2004, 116 Posts, 143 Comments
Comment posted by dan elster on March 10, 2007 at 10:53 AM
It's already all been said. Great, great shot. :toast:
Registered on September 23, 2005, 299 Posts, 2443 Comments
Comment posted by Scott Page on March 10, 2007 at 11:11 AM
where do I buy a framed print? :toast:
Registered on January 18, 2007, 52 Posts, 166 Comments
Comment posted by Mark Wilson on March 10, 2007 at 11:52 AM
That is just excellent Rich!
Registered on May 17, 2006, 70 Posts, 1166 Comments
Comment posted by Terry & Kay Steel on March 10, 2007 at 12:00 PM
Hello Richard, Lots of praise for a wonderful image. I am in full agreement. But, let me be the one this time to offer a minor nit - the bill is closer to the edge on the right side than the tail on the other side. I'd like it better if there was more room in front of the bird. Photoshop people would probably say that's an easy fix.
Registered on May 27, 2006, 112 Posts, 1098 Comments
Comment posted by KC Choo on March 10, 2007 at 12:27 PM
Excellent, although I think Terry has a point. Still, a full frame shot such as this deserves a :toast:
Registered on November 15, 2004, 519 Posts, 8278 Comments
Comment posted by Joe Vincent on March 10, 2007 at 1:14 PM
:eek: :eek: Awesome work Richard! I absolutely wish this was mine! :toast:
Registered on August 16, 2005, 69 Posts, 792 Comments
Comment posted by Dennis Patrick Lor on March 10, 2007 at 1:34 PM
Beautiful shot Richard :toast:
Registered on January 15, 2006, 91 Posts, 2052 Comments
Comment posted by Neil Losin on March 10, 2007 at 4:34 PM
Hi Richard,

You nailed it! Great work! I have a few different "not quite" versions of this pose, not all the elements have come together for me. But everything's working here - sweet shot!
Registered on September 16, 2005, 145 Posts, 3524 Comments
Comment posted by Robert Royse on March 10, 2007 at 6:23 PM
Wonderful in every way! :toast: :jump:
Registered on November 1, 2003, 218 Posts, 2427 Comments
Comment posted by Jose Suro on March 10, 2007 at 9:57 PM
Perfect everything! Maybe a little wider crop but I would take this in a second for my files. Great work.

Jose
Registered on June 24, 2006, 267 Posts, 2273 Comments
Comment posted by Dick Cronberg on March 11, 2007 at 1:10 AM
Richard,

Wonderful! I see these guys are are in breeding plumage in you neck of the woods. We're still waiting to see them here. Great shot and nice pose. :toast:

Dick Cronberg
Oregon
Registered on March 21, 2005, 158 Posts, 594 Comments
Comment posted by Janson Jones on March 11, 2007 at 3:04 AM
Honestly: this just freakin' rules. You couldn't ask for a more interesting pose from the bird! And you captured it beautifully. A direct, elegant composition or a rather unique, oddly-elegant bird!

~ janson
Registered on March 10, 2007, 8 Posts, 60 Comments
Comment posted by David Kjaer on March 11, 2007 at 5:43 PM
Beautiful Rich - love it!

David :toast: :toast:
Registered on January 4, 2006, 128 Posts, 4170 Comments
Comment posted by Kevin Thompson on March 11, 2007 at 7:48 PM
Perfect Richard! :toast:
Registered on March 15, 2005, 114 Posts, 2639 Comments
Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on March 12, 2007 at 3:16 PM
Just spectacular!! Congrats on EP !
SAndy R
Registered on November 24, 2003, 3937 Posts, 12909 Comments
Comment posted by Giuseppe Guadagno on March 12, 2007 at 5:45 PM
One of the most beautiful avian picture that I ever seen. Bravissimo Richard!
Cheers.
Registered on February 3, 2007, 827 Posts, 5052 Comments
Comment posted by Hans Spiecker on March 13, 2007 at 12:59 AM
Wow Rich! :toast: :toast: :toast: I almost missed this one since I haven't been online much for the last number of days. Congrats on a well earned EP!
Registered on March 23, 2006, 366 Posts, 4649 Comments
Comment posted by Barry R. Byrd on March 15, 2007 at 2:46 AM
This is one well deserved EP Richard :jump: :jump:
Registered on December 20, 2005, 136 Posts, 970 Comments
Comment posted by Doug Herr on October 22, 2007 at 12:18 AM
I agree with Terry re: the space in front of the bill but that's a very very minor nit. Outstanding photo.
Registered on December 11, 2003, 25 Posts, 54 Comments
Comment posted by Howard Cheek on May 6, 2011 at 12:09 PM
Very nice Richard! Easy to come in at the end, it's all been said..
I agree with the consensus & it's unanimous - Beautiful work!! :toast: :toast:
Registered on July 24, 2008, 1201 Posts, 10758 Comments
Comment posted by Sharon Hallowell on September 1, 2013 at 12:26 PM
Just came upon this image....spectacular!
Registered on November 1, 2003, 392 Posts, 4810 Comments