Oftentimes flaws in an image can ruin it for me. But not always…
1/2000, f/6.3, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
I photographed this male Gadwall this past New Years Eve as he was landing on a local pond. I like his “water-skiing” pose, the sharpness of the duck, the water plume thrown up in front of him and the excellent eye contact but the image has at least one significant flaw.
The bird was too close to the top of the frame to get the composition I prefer so I had to compromise with this near-pano crop to make it look as good as it does. I could have added canvas up top but that’s something I try hard to avoid for reasons I’ve mentioned before. If this bird had been taking off instead of landing I probably would have deleted it.
So why did I choose to keep it and even post it on Feathered Photography? It all has to do with degree of difficulty.
Photographing a bird as it takes off is relatively easy compared to a bird as it lands, especially one landing on water where it continues to move after making contact. Because you’ve already prefocused on a static bird your main challenge is timing – being quick enough to catch it in frame without clipping any body parts.
But maintaining sharp focus on a bird in flight as it comes in to land is much more difficult, compounded by the fact that our active focus points tend to be grabbed by elements in the background or foreground which are usually close to the bird at that point. In situations like this one I’ve taken more photos of sharp water and soft birds than I care to remember.
So for me at least degree of difficulty plays a significant role in the appeal of a photo, just like it does in figure skating, gymnastics, diving and some other sports. For an image like this one I’m sometimes willing to cut it some slack.
Ron
A stunner. You have an admirably higher standard of what a ‘keeper’ is than I do! If by some miracle I’d managed to capture a comparable image I would be ecstatic and consider it one of my all-time bests. In fact I’d probably have cropped it like you did even if there had been more space above the bird to work with.
and, how about those allulae?
Sorry to be late, but I turned into a tornadic domestic goddess yesterday, cleaning everything in sight. Today is a payback day.
ANYWAY, love this photo for all the reasons already mentioned, PLUS you’re helping me with my duck ID skills. What a glorious image! Thank you!
Thank you for the great photo and exposing me to a new species. I never heard of a Gadwall before. Happy ♥️ Day!
You’re very welcome, Debbie.
I think the dark of one underwing and the light of the other grabs the eye and lends interest.
Thanks, Lyle.
I’d love to have taken this picture. Beautifully sharp and nice action! (Hope you are feeling a bit better today)
Thanks, Joanne. I’m working on it but it’s going to be a long haul I think.
Really fabulous! I love the water action.
Thank you, Arwen.
The Sony A9 with autofocus solves the problem. .
?
I love the elusive S-curve from his breast through his neck and to the tip of his outstretched wing aimed at the top left corner. Another great photo!
Thank you, Kent.
What a gorgeous bird! I’m especially drawn to the lighting in this shot — the bright white under the left wing countered with the shadow under the right, the warm light on the bird’s face and chest, the white of the belly, the pop of the orange feet, the contrasted tones between the splash in front of the duck and its wake, the light play on the rest of the pond. Just spectacular. Combine all of that with the high dod and you have a magnificent shot.
Hope you’re feeling better today and a very happy Valentine’s Day to everyone! <3
Thanks very much, Marty. I wish the same for you.
It’s all too easy to overlook female ducks because they are typically subtly marked compared to the males. Thank you for including this beauty! Amen on the relative difficulty of properly photographing a landing bird! If there is ever a photo competition of that category “sharp water soft bird” – I am a contender!
Gotta run. Most of our Gadwalls and other ducks are packing their suitcases to leave the Sunshine State and I need to locate some beautiful females to pose for me. (Wait, that doesn’t sound too good …)
Ha, good luck with your quest, Wally. 🙂
Beautiful image Ron, I love how you captured the elegance of the Gadwall landing, and your image captures what looks like a sense of pride the duck has in its perfect landing. Catch light in the eye, sharp focus, and great timing for the moment of impact.
I will practice this more now that you have made me aware of it. Sandhill Cranes and Snow Geese at the Bosque del Apache are not easier subjects. Then there are Osprey and Belted Kingfishers diving for fish — seems next to impossible to get the autofocus to lock on the bird and not the water.
Diving kingfishers are particularly difficult, partly because they’re so small compared to the other species you mention. And their dive is fast and it’s hard to predict where they’ll hit the water. Thanks, Ed.
It’s a sensational shot Ron! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you, Charlotte.
Neat capture. Degree of Difficulty – I prize those landing shots. Ones of pelicans and other larger birds are not as difficult because there is more for the autofocus to work with. But I had not specifically identified “degree of difficulty” with the emotional attachment. In retrospect, I have discarded more shots of shorebirds, gulls and terns landing or diving than I care to think about.
“Ones of pelicans and other larger birds are not as difficult because there is more for the autofocus to work with”
Agreed, David. But I think there’s another part to that equation. Larger birds generally fly and move slower and less eratically so they’re easier to keep focus locked on them.
I agree.
Gorgeous! The bird is sharp and the pose is great! 🙂 Another subtly colored, beautiful bird whose details wouldn’t be noticed at a distance. 🙂 Glad you kept it! 🙂
I’m glad you like it, Judy. Thanks.