Hooded Merganser
Nov 12, 2014 11:55:56 #
Canon 6D
Sigma 150-500@439mm
F/6.3
ISO1600
1/800 second exposure
Critique Please
Sigma 150-500@439mm
F/6.3
ISO1600
1/800 second exposure
Critique Please
Nov 12, 2014 14:07:23 #
I saw the one with the coot before I saw this. This is better overall, but I like the hood spread out as on the other one. This one is also a bit dull and could use a levels adjustment to lighten it. I would also add a bit of saturation to enhance the colour of the hood. Nice clear shot with good focus and DOF. I find there is too much uninteresting grey around the bird and would crop a bit tighter. Oh, by the way, "Nice shot".
Nov 12, 2014 14:10:07 #
Nightski wrote:
Canon 6D
Sigma 150-500@439mm
F/6.3
ISO1600
1/800 second exposure
Critique Please
Sigma 150-500@439mm
F/6.3
ISO1600
1/800 second exposure
Critique Please
Same comments as for the merganser-coot couple.
Focus(the far side of the DOF) comes close( but no cigar!) to the bird. I betcha a mild touch of high-frequency sharpening would surprise you and would spur you to investigating your lens' tendency for front focusing.
You ARE using AF and not MF,aren't you?
And now I'm sure it was snowing...or at least spitting a light freezing rain.
Dave
Nov 12, 2014 14:19:38 #
I was trying to catch it when it had it's hood spread out and it wasn't near the coot. I didn't get it when the hood was completely open. Geez .. was that ever cool. I hope I see one of these again this close in my lifetime. I think the only reason I got this close was because they were stressed from the weather. They didn't want to fly in the snow and there is not much open water left. Plus .. something must have happened to them. It's weird that a coot and a hooded merganser were there all alone. Hunters were out this morning, so maybe that's how they got separated from their flock.
Nov 13, 2014 10:04:59 #
Personally there are things that I do like about the picture. I've hunted ducks in that kind of weather many times and know how cold a hunter can get. At this time of the year, it not unusual for a diver and a dipper to swim next to each other. What is unusual is that a swamp chicken is still in the swamp. I cropped your shot to just include the merganser, and in my opinion it improved the shot a lot. Next I would stamp out the ice line that runs through the ducks head. The picture is sharp enough for a 150-500 lens extended. With a few changes it is certainly a better shot than the one of the two ducks you posted yesterday.
Nov 13, 2014 10:48:57 #
Leon S wrote:
Personally there are things that I do like about t... (show quote)
Thank you, Leon. I was feeling pretty bad about getting a chance like this and blowing it. I did get another chance today, and I had my aperture at F/8 and shutter speed at 1250 and ISO at 800. It was snowing pretty hard, but the sun came through so I had more light.
I'm going to get help in the PP section as it would be worth it to me to save the merganser pic. I might not get another chance. Those fancy ducks are SO skiddish ... as are wood ducks and buffle heads and canvas backs .. all very hard to get close to. And they fly so fast!! Geese are much easier to pan.
Nov 13, 2014 14:36:02 #
Leon .. went back today and did better. I think that duck in the duck shot is my merganser. :-( It's got the same tail feathers.
http://500px.com/photo/89637049/tough-day-by-sandra-nightski?from=user_library
http://500px.com/photo/89625109/riding-out-the-storm-by-sandra-nightski?from=user_library
http://500px.com/photo/89637049/tough-day-by-sandra-nightski?from=user_library
http://500px.com/photo/89625109/riding-out-the-storm-by-sandra-nightski?from=user_library
Nov 13, 2014 18:40:09 #
lighthouse
Loc: No Fixed Abode
Nightski wrote:
Canon 6D
Sigma 150-500@439mm
F/6.3
ISO1600
1/800 second exposure
Critique Please
Sigma 150-500@439mm
F/6.3
ISO1600
1/800 second exposure
Critique Please
This is a very nice image Sandra.
I think it might be up a fraction on the right hand side.
The feathers do seem to lack a little bit of definition, maybe caused by the high ISO and very low contrast in the bird itself.
Maybe even VR is a factor.
Focus is perfect.
Ignoring the bird and just looking at the surrounding ice crystals I can see that the ice crystals 1/2 inch in front of the bird to about 6-8 inches behind are in focus.
With that lens in those conditions I think you have the DOF done very well indeed.
Would be interesting to see what it would have been like with VR turned off.
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