Usefilm Home Sign Up Now! | Log In | Help  

Film and Digital Photography


Mallard Male
Image Title:  Mallard Male
 
 By: Andre Denis  
  Copyright ©2009



 Browse Images
  Recent Pictures
  Todays Pictures
  Yesterdays Pictures
  1 Year Ago Today
  Summary Mode
  All Usefilm Pictures
 
 Image Options
  Staff Choice
  Editors Choice
  Featured Donors
  Featured Photographers
  Featured Photos
  Community Favorites
  Unrated Images
  Featured Critiques
  Critique Only Images
  Critiquer's Corner
  Images With No Critiques
  Random Images
  Panoramic Images
  Images By Country
  Images By Camera
  Images By Lens
  Images By Film/Media
   
 Categories
   
 Projects
   
 Find Member
Name
User ID
 
   

 

Photographer Andre Denis {K:61621}
Project #56 Wildlife and Insects Camera Model Nikon D200
Categories Wildlife
Nature
Film Format Digital JPEG High
Portfolio Birds
Close To Home
Wildlife
Lens Nikon  300mm f/4 ED-IF AF-S Nikkor
Uploaded 10/28/2009 Film / Memory Type Lexar Pro CF 2GB 133X
    ISO / Film Speed 400
Views 115 Shutter 1/800
Favorites Aperture f/5.6
Critiques 29 Rating
6.25
/ 6 Ratings
Location City -  Near Toronto
State -  ONTARIO
Country - Canada   Canada
About This male Mallard was trying his best not to let the fancy Wood Ducks get all the attention.

Okay, lift up one leg, ruffle your feathers and smile for the camera. Got it! Thanks, now get back in the water.

Nikon 300mm f4 afs with 1.4TC hand held
Random Pictures By:
Andre
Denis


On Any Sunday

Madawaska Sunset (b&w)

Forza Ferrari (49 166MM sep)

Under The Apple Tree

Down By The Henry Moore

Harvests & Hayrides Remembered

American Bald Eagle (Immature)

Fading Fast

Dignity 2

Redneck Dream

There are 29 Comments in 1 Pages
  1
Jim Gamble   {K:12155} 10/28/2009
Awesome shot!!!!
Just one question, how did you get the colors to pop like that? I've tried many different techniques but still can't get mine to come out like that.

jim


Andre Denis   {K:61621} 10/28/2009
Hi Jim,
Thanks for the nice comment and your visit.

I think the duck has to get most of the credit for the "popping colours" :)

Believe me, I've deleted many that didn't come out like this one. :)

This image has just a slight bit of tweaking in Photoshop (slight movements of the levels bars, but not much else. No additional sharpness, contrast or colour enhancement) this is very close to the original. I was blessed with great overcast lighting when I took a series of this duck and a few others. I was standing about 75 feet away using my 300mm lens with the 1.4 TC on it. I usually use the lowest possible f stop (f 5.6) in this case.) with a high shutter speed if possible. I think the muted colour of the background with the bokeh of the lens contributes a lot to the "popping" of the colour. My setting on the D200 is set to normal, not vivid. I found the vivid settings too strong and unnatural for wildlife photography.

I hope that answers your question.
Thanks for the interest.
Andre


Mitra Nademi-Nassari   {K:24931} 10/28/2009
Lovely colors and photo Andre!
Mitra


Andre Denis   {K:61621} 10/28/2009
Thanks very much Mitra.
I'm glad you like it!
Andre


Dave Stacey   {K:138117} 10/28/2009
Excellent capture of this guy, Andre! Very nice colours!
Dave.


Clay Boutin   {K:4273} 10/28/2009
A great shot of this beautiful duck. Well done!


Nanda Baba das   {K:12659} 10/28/2009
Beautiful color, nice detail, good composition. Beautiful picture. Best wishes
Nanda


Kallol Majumdar   {K:16470} 10/28/2009
Nice colour...lovely shot...


Andre Denis   {K:61621} 10/28/2009
Thanks Dave.
We so often ignore these guys because they are so common.
Andre


Andre Denis   {K:61621} 10/28/2009
Thanks for the comment and visit Clay.
Glad you like it.
Andre


Andre Denis   {K:61621} 10/28/2009
Thanks Nanda.
Andre


Andre Denis   {K:61621} 10/28/2009
Thanks for the visit and for commenting Kallol.
Glad you like it.
Andre


Allen Aisenstein   {K:1790} 10/29/2009
Nice wildlife capture of this beautiful bird. Good detail. Regards, Allen


Mojgan Bahasadri   {K:14136} 10/29/2009
Hi Andre,
It's really very nice and lovely wildlife capture!
best to you,
Mojgan


Andre Denis   {K:61621} 11/2/2009
Thanks Allen,
Glad you like it. These guys are so colourful, but tend to get ignored due to their popularity.
Andre


Andre Denis   {K:61621} 11/3/2009
Thanks Mojgan,
Glad you like it!
Andre


Hussam AL_ Khoder   {K:75228} 11/3/2009
Beautiful image.
Best wishes.


Andre Denis   {K:61621} 11/3/2009
Thanks very much Hussam,
I'm glad you like it.
Andre


Nick Karagiaouroglou   {K:126557} 11/5/2009
The feather on the back of the wings are a delight to look at, Andre! They are perhaps the quintessence of the whole system and apparatus for biologic flying as they appear so distinct in contrasts and contours, yet also smooth in their very nature. For me it is rather a study of the "machinery of wings" rather than anything else.

Don't get me wrong here, the had and the face of the bird do have their own charm too, as the well preserved plasticity of the body of the bird does too. But there are some small problems on them, which are not really disturbing by themselves, but they do initiate that comparison in my mind between the "rest of it" and those feathers of the wings. There is a bit of overexposure, I think, on that "rest" which makes it impossible for me to not compare that to the perfect look of those feathers.

The composition is as clear and dense as it could be for such an image. The good separation by focus enhances that further, and the difference of color vividness agrees with that too.

I really wish I coulsd get a single, one single image of some animal so well. Such a good work! And such a good timing too!

Nick


Andre Denis   {K:61621} 11/6/2009
Hi Nick,
Thanks for the comment. I was reading an article the other day about some of the hints for getting attractive bird images. One of the things mentioned was to try and get them frozen in some unusual pose, rather than the same old common pose that we se them in most of the time. I managed to find this guy when he was trying to shake off some water. He would lift up one leg and spread his wings and shake them. I think I got this shot when he was in the middle of a shake. I agree with you about the wing looking really nice. The separation of the feathers and the shadow worked beautifully together.
Andre


Nick Karagiaouroglou   {K:126557} 11/7/2009
Hi Andre!

I must say, the article you read really meets my own way to think about that. They do so many things, so why should they always appear in some "wellknown pose" on images? you did very well in this sense here. This is also something that belongs to their nature, to try to shake off some water, or to do some stretching too for keeping their wings in good levels of elasticity... All that belongs to their nature, and so if somebody photographs nature... it should be there too, I guess.

As about those light gradients on the feathers, the more I look at them, the more they get me in their fascinating look. Imagine, it is only organical matter after all, nothing as "hard and durable" like our magnalium alloys for airplanes. Yet those funny guys can perform in some disciplines much better than our best jets. It is a very different way of construction of a wing than our rather solid and rigid constructions, and this is exactly what I see here. Such a well designed wonderful elliptic wing that still manages to change shapes according to the momentary needs of the flight... Remarkable, at least remarkable, isn't it? And all that I can see on the image, and this is why I find it so good.

Cheers!

Nick


Danny Brannigan   {K:17452} 11/7/2009
Your timing was perfect as was your ability to isolate the Mallard from others.


Andre Denis   {K:61621} 11/12/2009
Thanks very much Danny,
I appreciate the visit and comment.
Andre


Andre Denis   {K:61621} 11/12/2009
Thanks again Nick for taking the time with all the great reviews and comments. It shows me that you seriously look into the details and nuances of the images. What more can we ask for when we post here.
Andre


Stan Ciszek   {K:44242} 11/12/2009
Really great shot Andre...
Stan~


Andre Denis   {K:61621} 11/12/2009
Thanks Stan,
Glad you like him.
Andre


Nick Karagiaouroglou   {K:126557} 11/14/2009
I am only glad if don't just look at good efforts "on the fly", Andre!. You know, to take a quick look, say "wow" and soon forget the image is too... incomplete, I would say. It reminds me of the pointeless expression "yes, I understand you, *but*..." - well, there is no understanding without turning to things with interest and care. So, let's examine things and gove some meaning to the word "exploring" which is used so easily today.

You know what I mean. Nowadays they all "explore" and find out that PS has 3 different sharpness filters and that the color wheel is... round. ;-)

Cheers!

Nick


stingRay part 2 .   {K:238807} 11/19/2009
Great details in this shot my friend and I love the commentary as the duck does appear to be preening itself for the camera. Great colours in the feathers and excellent details. What a lens Andre, great photography as always. Cheers to you...Ray


Andre Denis   {K:61621} 11/20/2009
Thanks Ray,
For some reason I find Ducks humorous. Maybe it's because of that silly "smiling" expression their beaks seem to have. They appear to be happy all the time.
Andre


  1

 

|  FAQ  |  Terms of Service  |  Donate  |  Site Map  |  Contact Us  |  Advertise  |

Copyright ©2005 Photo Publishing Group, LLC - All Rights Reserved

Elapsed Time:: 6.359375