The very colourfull Mandarin Duck

I love these ducks .The colours on them are awesome.

Taken yesterday(monday) on a really cloudy rainy day .

I have aload of shots of them on there own(which i'll post later ).But i was trying to get two of them in the same shot, having the BG one OOF with the Bokeh look.

1D MKIII
EF500 f4 L
Wimberley gimble on Gitzo 1548 legs
ISO 800
1/320 @ f4

C & C welcome

Thanks for looking

Proper showmen aren't they Alan - I love 'em

Lovely detailed image

I'm not too sure about the OoF one in the BG, it's perhaps a tad distracting though

And I would just like to see the main subject a bit higher in the frame to get the full reflection.

But it's a squillion times better than any Mandy in my archives and I'm just being picky - motivation is pure envy mate

lovely shot Alan could do with a bit of warming though, as to the OOF bird i think it compliments the other very well especially with the identical poses

Yep

I think these guys really suit dull overcast conditions, it really helps to concentrate the colours - in bright sunny conditions and the whites invariably blow-out.

Great colours. No I mean GREAT colours!!!
Just a fantastic shot and I love the bird in the background.

Edwin Kats

Great looking bird Alan well captured. Just feel that by blurring the bird in the BG its over done it a bit.( I am only assuming you blurred it)

Major.

Thanks for the comments

Andy - single subject images to follow

Major - No i did'nt do any blurring, thats what the f4 did.

Technically looks great. Processing as well. Maybe a bit more separation between the two would suit my tastes better? Purely subjective. Bit of a halo on top of head and underneath bill so maybe worth reducing selection by a couple of pixels? A cracking shot nonetheless, just being perhaps overly picky

Wonderful birds, very beautiful. Nice shot.

Hi Alan

No nits from me I like it - great colours!

David

I think it is nice because of the second bird in the background, superb colours
Frederic

Hi Alan - I think your idea of having an oof mandarin in the background works really well, and its nice and crisp on the principal subject. I often see mandarins in groups - recently there has been upto 60 along a stretch of the River Wharfe at the Strid Bolton Abbey.

ps Perhaps darken slightly the white wing feather on the oof mandarin

I think the single bird will work better, unless the birds are on the same focal plane. Otherwise you need more depth of field as it is a bit 'blobby' for me. Stunning birds though!

Your "fine feathered friends" photos are fantastic!! Those Canon cameras and lenses are absolutely awesome!!!