Nice! I believe it's "avocet"...

...I've found that when they dive their pouch fills with water (and food, I guess) and they work it from there?!

...you might check the platen gap setting...if you're getting smear make it wider...

Thanks for the positive comments, folks!

...will keep in mind! Thanks!

[quote=OldJeff]Super Pics. I have a question. I have a difficult time photographing birds. My images are not sharp. I am using a 400mm lens and usually taking them quite a distance away, maybe a hundred to two hundred yards. They are usually in a tree across a river. We have a state park in our town with a road along the river. With traffic through the park, they are seldom on our side. Any clues as to best settings to use.?[/quote

...ah..cross over the river and get as close as you can? I don't know your body, if you had 60MP like the Sony's you *might* get a good crop but even then doubtful at the distances you mention. And then you have foliage in the way which may/will affect focus...sheesh, lots of limitations. Not knowing your camera body, I really can't advise on focus...other than continuous and maybe spot for perched subjects, anything else is a big time <shrug>.

...I think you're correct, Mike!

...he's beginning a dive and pretty much filled the frame, but I noticed something around his beak so I cropped-in farther...it isn't a fishing line, maybe some kind of vegetation he just didn't completely get down? Anyone?

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I'm envious, those guys are hard to find up here around OC! You got a good one!

Nice catches, especially the Hooded Merganser and the Wood Duck (I've seen just one of those around here in SoCal lately)...

I've been framing and printing my stuff for alot of years...I'd like to say it (the process) is getting easier, haha, BUT oh you know. I did these two together, same size frame-mat-print so it was easier *that* way. You can see the frames are finished differently, as are the mats, and the prints are matte and baryta papers respectively. First is in Santa Ana, CA while I'm futzing around during a monthly Art Walk...and, yes, I actually tilted the camera, lol. Second is taken on the stage at Fresno High School a few years ago, I'm a performer but obviousely behind the camera for the shot (the guy directing is the client). Santa Ana Askew and The Rehearsal both 32x16...BTW, very traditional in the print/mount/mat/frame but I really can't stand glass over artwork, of course especially mine, so I use non-glare plexi which is pricey, but not to the degree of museum glass. Next time you stand in front of a piece and it's behind glass, check your eyeliner or whiskers cuz you can see 'em, haha...

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...did you install those LUT's into ON1? Thanks for the tip for ON1 Effects, I've been getting my feet wet in ON1 for my infrared work...so thanks for the content! BTW, as always super interesting work!!!

...like I said before, it's almost too easy! I mean, ya gotta know a *little* bit, but...it's more like mastery of the dang machine, neh?

Haha, well it's a loooooong way from Indiana! Maybe we oughta get some kind of UHH hat so we can ID each other??!!

Again, thanks everybody for the kind comments!