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Go to Sleep.....

Discussion

18 replies
Posted by David J Slater on December 19, 2008 at 6:37 AM
The Colour is Blinding Me!

I have just managed 6 months now doing all my photography close to home. This was the last photo of my challenge! The tree dwelling Mandarins in the Forest of Dean are generally very wary of people especially when out of water. But this one looks so relaxed in the last rays of a winter evening. I left him to stay sleeping. Off to Spain now....

Canon 40D, 600mm at F8, 1/15th second, ASA 200. Full frame. No cloning. Only saturation boosted.
Posted by Tom_W on December 19, 2008 at 6:47 AM
The light on that is stunning. Lovely photo.
Posted by Cliff Young on December 19, 2008 at 6:56 AM
Hi David, the light and colours are spot on. :smile: Cliff
Posted by Robert Lawrence on December 19, 2008 at 7:04 AM
Agree with above, light is superb. Shame about the back of the head of the lower duck intruding. I've never seen one of these off the water.
Robert
Posted by Graham Goddard on December 19, 2008 at 7:07 AM
Super colours and light, although as Robert mentioned, shame about the head in the picture.

:toast:
Posted by Adam Seward on December 19, 2008 at 7:12 AM
Fabulous colours, I really like that. :toast:
Posted by David Sewell on December 19, 2008 at 7:18 AM
Gorgeous shot, and personally I really like the head of the female intruding into the picture. Mandarins are supposed to pair for life, and are a symbol of marital fidelity in some parts of their native range in eastern Asia. The presence of both birds is therefore apt, and with just a tiny part of the female visible she does not detract too much from the male.

Incidentally, a friend of mine has studied the species in the UK and found that the fidelity is more apparent than real. That's life.

David
:toast:
Posted by Brett Lewis on December 19, 2008 at 7:27 AM
Really like the light on this wonderful image. I would also crop a little from the bottom so that the light corner of the lower LHS of the frame is removed. It does pull the eye down a little. Not much but when you know it's there..

Nice work..

Brett :toast: :toast:
Posted by Ian Hay on December 19, 2008 at 8:21 AM
Nice, sure beats a partridge in a pear tree.

All the best

Ian
Posted by Sandra Hendrikse on December 19, 2008 at 9:21 AM
Very nice shot with lovely colours. :smile:
Posted by Cheyenne Howell on December 19, 2008 at 9:49 AM
Wow! How beautiful. Great capture and well done. :toast:
Posted by Ben Simmonds on December 19, 2008 at 12:23 PM
would benefit from a darker BG otherwise very autumnal
Posted by Bertl Menegoni on December 19, 2008 at 1:44 PM
Beautiful, peaceful, relaxing.
Top shot,
Bertl
Posted by Alan Woolnough on December 19, 2008 at 2:25 PM
Beautiful shot David...........great light, colours and curved perch :toast:

Alan
Posted by Justin on December 19, 2008 at 3:12 PM
A very attractive image indeed. :toast:
Posted by Nigel Blake on December 19, 2008 at 5:02 PM
Superb bright wintery light, great pose and a very attractive image.
Posted by David J Slater on December 20, 2008 at 7:18 AM
Many thanks people.

Like the duck, hope you all have a peaceful midwinter sunset and a happy new solar year.

Dave
Posted by Nick on December 20, 2008 at 8:36 AM
You too David - enjoy Spain & hope you get some good shots. :toast:
Posted by Magnus Hird on December 20, 2008 at 1:01 PM
Lovely colours and light David. Agree about the suggestion to crop off the bottom left hand corner. Don't mind the female's head in there at all, it highlights the difference between the two sexes colouration :smile: