Otter Use a Bib

There's a lovely sheen all over this image.  Great smooth texture.  The mussel is a nice touch.

Max

This is a beautiful shot Gary. Nice portrait. The water and the details of the otter are great.

Gary: love the detail that can be seen throughout the image, especially of the fur and whiskers. Its pose against the calm water really makes it pop. Did you have enough time to get a landscape shot in which would capture the entire reflection? 

I am in full agreement with Max that this provides a lovely "sheen."  Excellent capture with rich details of a difficult species!

Gary, the clarity and light on the otter are great.  I also like how smooth the water is, except for the wake showing the otter's motion.  The mussel is a neat touch.

Gary: Terrific light on this guy and a superb capture. I was lucky on our trip last year to get fairly close to an otter from a kayak but could still have used a bit more focal length. Congrats on a fine WP.>=))>

Thank you, Bill.  We had an abundance of otters this year, in early Spring, so it wasn't difficult to find them.  I was just going down to the rocks on the tide line and sitting there quietly.  The otters would paddle by while eating mussels and when they discovered me, more often than not, they would actually move in closer to satisfy their curiosity.  Once they decided I was not a threat they pretty much ignored me and went on about their business of constant feeding. 

I know I am late commenting on this, but WOW, Gary, what a nice image.  Probably the best close image of an otter I have seen.  The lighting was perfect, and you got really impressive detail on his face.  Super reflection, too.   I have taken a lot of images of otters in Homer, and this one is just superb.  Really, really nice!