Motif: Northern Shoveler

Posted by LHays on Wed Sep 24, 2003 4:30 am

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Yesterday afternoon was gorgeous so I decided to go out and see what I could find. I hit 3 lakes before finding anything to shoot. When I got there I saw the usual mallards and decided to shoot whatever I could. Pretty soon I discovered this Northern Shoveler among them. I know that I need to start using the flash but I was still gun shy after this weekend. The light was almost in my face on the only side that you can shoot from so I had to wait until I could get the ducks angled for light to hit them. I finally got a decent angle and this sweetheart came in close with the rest of the mallards. On this shot, she more than filled the frame so that I could crop for a head shot.

Comments on my last few posts have been that they have been slightly dark. I use a Powerbook and they look fine but on the school monitors (which are lousy) they do look dark. This time I switched both the monitor and PS to gamma 2.2 for PC and worked from there. I'll try anything at this point.

Canon 1D, 500mmL IS, 2X TC, tripod
ISO 320, ss 1/320, f/14, EV - 2/3
PS - cropped for portrait, USM, levels, slight saturation for web presentation

Lana Hays
NSN 0040
[url]http://www.lanahays.com/[/url]

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by Jim Urbach on Wed Sep 24, 2003 5:33 am

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Lana,

Good looking NS. I think flash could have lit up some of the shadows .

Jim

Enjoy viewing

Jim Urbach

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by AlexC on Wed Sep 24, 2003 5:53 am

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I think this is a wonderful duck image, Jimmy Durante would have been proud, indeed!!, I like it as is, nothing like natural light for such a tight shot, flash could have illuminated the shadows but it would have taken away the natural look of the sunlight!!, Wonderful Ms. Lana!!! Well done!!
Congrats!!!!

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by Alan Murphy on Wed Sep 24, 2003 7:18 am

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Lana,

I think the light works as you have kept detail in the darks. It does seem a little soft to me. Nice headshot

Alan Murphy
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by Bill Whala on Wed Sep 24, 2003 7:33 am

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The angle of the light works for me because she has her head turned enough to be illuminated by the sidelight. I love how she appears to be looking straight into the camera lens and I especially like the water on the bill. Overall, this is very well done!!

Bill Whala

"Aves of similar plumage tend to converge with one another"

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by KK Hui on Wed Sep 24, 2003 7:48 am

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Nicely done, Lana!

It explains very well how he got its name ... shoveler

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by Neil Solomon on Wed Sep 24, 2003 8:23 am

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Nice head shot with great detail on the bill. Does seem a little soft though.

Neil Solomon
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by Heather Forcier on Wed Sep 24, 2003 8:58 am

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Great look at this bird's head and bill - wow! The shadows are a little strong but it works okay for me, especially because the eye is very distinct.

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by Bruce DiVaccaro on Wed Sep 24, 2003 9:22 am

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Lana,

This is a nice shot. I like some of the effects caused by the direction of the light. You sure got close to this Shoveler. The yellow eye is beautiful but has me a liitle confused since Shoveler Hens have brown eyes.

Bruce DiVaccaro
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by Laura Stiefel on Wed Sep 24, 2003 9:22 am

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The shape and detail of the bill really stand out to me here. A very nice look of why this is called a Shoveler!

Laura Stiefel
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by E.J. Peiker on Wed Sep 24, 2003 9:24 am

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Flash at about -1 1/3 would have evened out the contrast a bit. Other than that, this is an excellent and very intimate shot. Well done. THe image does not look to dark to me, just a bit contrasty due to the strong shadows. The 2.2 change seems to have worked

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by Sandy Mossberg on Wed Sep 24, 2003 9:53 am

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Great shot, Lana. An impressive bill. Like Alan, I think the head is a bit soft.

Sandy Mossberg
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by joseph motto on Wed Sep 24, 2003 10:30 am

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Lana,
Love these birds and love this rendition. The bill steals the show here. Looks like the focus landed on the bill, not the eye, accounting for the slight siftness of the head (altho at f14 I would have thought both would be sharp). Two thumbs up for this photo.

joseph motto
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by Dennis Olivero on Wed Sep 24, 2003 3:44 pm

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Lana
A+ for getting close. I would love to get this close to a shovie. Doesnt look too light nor to dark, rest's been said.. Good going..

[b]Dennis Olivero[/b]
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by Anthony Medici on Wed Sep 24, 2003 5:47 pm

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The eye/head seems a bit soft but this is nicely framed. Doesn't seem too light or dark to me. Good work with the lighting you had.

Tony

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by Sheri Whala on Wed Sep 24, 2003 8:43 pm

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I think this is great! I am looking at this on our laptop and I am not seeing the softness the others are talking about. BTW Bill told me that this is an eclipse plumage male. Even though he refered to it as she in his comment.

Very nice!

Sheri Whala
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by Jim Probst on Wed Sep 24, 2003 9:43 pm

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Lana,

I like the lighting and the way it accentuates the head. The water drop at the tip of the bill is great! Nicely done!

Jim Probst
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by Bruce Sherman on Wed Sep 24, 2003 9:47 pm

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Lana,
Nice tight shot! My only nit is that it is just a tad soft. Parts of the bill are sharp as a tack, buth the head/eye is not.

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by Mike Wilson on Thu Sep 25, 2003 11:55 am

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No complaints about the light from me. I like how the sidelight has fleshed out the bill and given the bird a nice 3d effect. Excellent headshot of an impossible bird to get close to.

Mike Wilson
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