p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Beautiful Male Northern Shoveler...
Got as low as possible for these pictures of a male Northern Shoveler in Santee Lakes, CA. It is always difficult to get the green feathers on the head, expose for the head and the white feathers are blown, expose for the whites and the head looks completely black. The light has to be just right to get both body and head properly exposed. IMHO, light backgrounds work best for this bird but the dark background worked this time because the highlight on the beak. c&c welcomed.
p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Beautiful Male Northern Shoveler...
Beautiful images, Bruno! Looks like everything came together (light, position, pose). I prefer #3 to #1for the head angle, better light on the head, and the creamy background. #2 is also delightful.
martines34 wrote:
One of the nicer ducks to capture.
I have never been able to get that close, even with a long lens.
Thanks for sharing.
This bird was in Santee Lakes where every morning more than one person goes and feeds the birds. Mostly mallards, coots and domestic ducks approach but on occasion you get a wood duck, gadwall, shoveler or teal join the feeding frenzy. I think the ducks at this location are used to humans and it is possible to get close.