winterrose Loc: Kyneton, Victoria, Australia

Sydney Harbour.

A waterside park.

I felt that I was being watched.

But who was it?

No-one in sight anywhere....

Ah, there!

The wonder of nature.

larrywilk Loc: Palm Harbor, FL

Beautiful image!

Chuck_893 Loc: Lincoln, Nebraska, USA

I think it's perfect. I started to vaguely wonder about The Watcher being nearly dead-center in the frame (I insist I do not believe in "rules" and then I go wondering about that), but I quickly concluded that all those delicious leading lines also formed the perfect frame for her (?). Someone is likely to say that you should dodge her up to make her more visible, and I would respectfully disagree. Much of the point of her coloring is camouflage—covert. But that eye is fixed on you. Perhaps she has a nearby nest (you're in spring I believe). So long as you get no closer she will not need to go into "wounded bird" mode to draw you off, so she keeps that eye on you. I'm not a huge fan of HDR, tending to think it gets too often overcooked, but I like this very much! :thumbup:

winterrose Loc: Kyneton, Victoria, Australia

Thank you Chuck, that little duck unnerved me. Made me feel I was trespassing in his domain.

smcaleer Loc: Dearborn Heights, Michigan

I love, love, love the leading lines of wood in this shot! Then in the middle of that beautiful wood is a beautiful creature trying to blend in and not be noticed, yet still having some great color.

Nice shot.

My only problem (and I don't know if you can do much about it other than crop) is the water keeps pulling my eyes away from the duck.

winterrose Loc: Kyneton, Victoria, Australia

Thank you, I did consider what you mention and I had a look at the shot with the water cropped out but I decided that the water "cools" the scene. Without it, dry as the low growing gums appear to be, together with the hot afternoon sun, put the scene deep into the bush, whereas ducks are most usually found near to a body of water. Cheers, Rob.

Country's Mama Loc: Michigan

You have to say why it is a beautiful image. Is it the composition? The color? The lines?

larrywilk Loc: Palm Harbor, FL

I think the lighting is superb and the framing extraordinary!

Nightski

My thoughts exactly. I held a magazine over the water, and I didn't like the crop. You would lose some of the wood frame.

Heirloom Tomato Loc: Oregon

Ha ha, Nightski, I am using a Costco photo DVD wrapper for the same purpose. We need a nice little piece of dark cardboard or something...

Heirloom Tomato Loc: Oregon

This looks perfect on download. You were right to leave the water, it balances the other colors in the photo. The color of the duck's bill even seems to match it, and it connects the duck to her surroundings. Really fine work, W/R. Thanks for sharing it.

smcaleer Loc: Dearborn Heights, Michigan

I took a closer look and covered the water to see what a crop might look like. Although I like it without the water, I notice that the color in the duck is brought out more WITH the water.

jenny Loc: in hiding:)

Pow! My first reaction is the very richness of the beautiful "oil painting" color. With that clue, I would expect to find more than a,"zoomed-bird closeup",and yes, this image has that "more information" of subject/environment that keeps me interested.
As Graham mentioned, the bird seems to be in the middle of the frame...but then it isn't after all, if noticing the arch first...I usually get down to details...after noting composition in general...the arch is off-center. Within the arch there is no escape, my eye is kept there by the light-colored branch or stump,and then by a small yellow triangle leading to the bird. So the subject is a bird within an arch,
but the bird is not in the center of the arch either! This
picture is entertaining,beautiful and complex!
It would seem most of what is to the right of the arch then
is extraneous material, but I find it quite essential to establish that ducks are always found near water.Also, it keeps the arch to the left.
Now, are you going to tell us you saw all this in a moment?! Or low long did you have to compose this before the bird might move? Quite a "capture" indeed!

jenny Loc: in hiding:)

Excuse me,Chuck, it was you who responded,not Graham.Just one of those computer- things where we can't see the rest of the comments when responding!

Graham Smith Loc: Cambridgeshire UK

I'm enjoying this image Rob, one small thing bothers me. The branch top right is almost burned out and the black shadow across it accentuates the over brightness.

Graham