Flying Duck

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Flying Duck
Photo Information
Copyright: Gert Ellstrom (ellis49) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3646 W: 351 N: 8727] (28297)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2004-04
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon EOS10D, Sigma 70-200 f2.8, Digital RAW 200
Exposure: f/8, 1/500 seconds
Photo Version: Original Version, Workshop
Theme(s): Aquatic Birds - Aves Acuáticas, 50 points or more - 50 puntos o más, Ducks, _Fotos adicionadas por 5 ou mais membros, 5 favs. and up, Birds in Flight, 100 points or more (Chapter 1), zoologist's other favorites, Birds in Flight, Pankaj Bajpai's Favourite, 10 fav's and more, Top ten [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2004-08-06 5:10
Viewed: 28974
Favorites: 63 [view]
Points: 344
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
In our small river it will be alot of birds in the winter, so I can practice to catch them in the air.
I love to take photos of flying birds och insects, sometime I success
This I took in April , It was one of the first phots I took with my new lens Sigma 70-200/2.8 HSM. The lens is sold and replaced with a Sigma 100-300 / 4
I hope you enjoy it.

The Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos), also known in North America as the Wild Duck, is a common and widespread dabbling duck which breeds throughout the temperate and sub-tropical areas of North America, Europe and Asia. It also frequents Central America and the Caribbean. It is probably the best-known of all ducks.

This dabbling duck is 56-65 cm length, with a 81–98 cm wingspan, and weighs 750–1000 g. It is strongly migratory in the northern parts of its breeding range, and winters farther south. It is highly gregarious outside of the breeding season and will form large flocks. They are exceptionally fast flyers for their size, reaching speeds of 40mph. Due to their streamlining however, it hardly ruffles a feather.

The breeding male is unmistakable, with a green head, black rear end and a blue speculum edged with white, obvious in flight or at rest. Males also possess a yellow bill with a black tip, whereas females have a dark brown bill.
The females are light brown, with plumage much like most female dabbling ducks. They can be distinguished from other ducks, by the distinctive speculum. In non-breeding (eclipse) plumage, the drake looks more like the female.
It is a bird of most wetlands, including parks, small ponds and rivers, and usually feeds by dabbling for plant food or grazing. It nests usually on a river bank, but not always particularly near water.
This is a noisy species. The male has a nasal call, whereas the female has the very familiar "quack" always associated with ducks.
Mallards frequently interbreed with the American Black Duck, Northern Pintail and domesticated species, leading to various hybrids. A Mallard has been recorded as living for 29 years.

The Greenland subspecies of the Mallard is one of the rare examples of both Allen's Rule and Bergmann's Rule in birds. Bergmann's Rule—polar subspecies/species tend to be larger than related ones from warmer climates—has numerous examples in birds. Examples of Allen's Rule—appendages like ears tend to be smaller in polar subspecies/species to minimize heat loss and large in tropical and desert equivalents to facilitate heat diffusion, and the polar taxa are stockier overall—are rare, as birds don't have ears. However, the bill of ducks is very well supplied with blood vessels and vulnerable to cold. Thus, the Greenland Mallard, although considerably larger than the nominate subspecies, has a smaller bill and is stockier.

ISO 200, Raw-format, Manual exposure, Ai-servo auto focus.I used Adobe Photoshop CS for PP.

japie, carper, nwoehnl, mogens-j, elihesam, livios, rabani, sandpiper2, gazo, twofun, moniotte, eduaraujo, europhoto, Luc, azulu, sgo, tinman, Janice, Phoki, tucancr, Xalkida, shalamova, tiobibi, mano, archanabhimasen, Shaver, peter_stoeckl, Keithor, marmottelolo, mlines, h_sedghi, matijazorc, cosmln, Florin, Hil, blakitan, vanderschelden, Lynette, parvulescubio, njmv79, joelo, rust01, Prop, diverjohn, nick27, CeltickRanger, sily, opalo, tiklod, vlaaitje, nardophoto, inked, boreocypriensis, goldyrs has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To Tobias__Ortmann: Thanks Tobias,ellis49 1 03-11 11:03
To iglootrek: Thanks Stephanellis49 1 10-25 14:54
To Lyanna: Thanksellis49 1 06-22 10:29
To flagman: Thanks Andyellis49 1 05-10 14:06
To marjan: Thanks Marjanellis49 1 05-04 09:50
To cliffd: Thanks Cliffellis49 1 05-02 11:15
To Jancie: Thanks Janice.ellis49 1 04-15 06:32
To sAner: Practice more !ellis49 3 03-15 10:53
To ornis: Thanks Jean Michelellis49 1 01-26 08:19
To ornis: Thanks Jean Michelellis49 1 01-23 10:34
To correp01: Sigma 70- 200 / 2.8ellis49 1 12-09 17:01
To Callie: Thanks Callieellis49 2 08-06 06:28
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • PDP Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2967 W: 365 N: 3847] (11725)
  • [2004-08-06 5:21]

Gert! That is a fantastic shot. Perfect.

Congratulations and thank you.

Tout simplement MAGNIFIQUE.
Prendre ce col vert en plein vol était une fameuse idée.
Photo réussie, les détails sont parfaits.
BRAVO Gert !

Gert
Splendid Mallard drake on the wing. I still have the 70-200 f2.8 Sigma, would you sell for the 180 f 3.5 Macro, or keep it. It is mobile, the 120-300 is too heavy!

  • Great 
  • RAP Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2524 W: 345 N: 2373] (7405)
  • [2004-08-06 5:59]

Gert... si posado este pato es bello, poder verlo en vuelo con esta nitidez es espectacular.
Excelente definicion, colorido, profundidad y encuadre.
Gracias por compartirla.

Gert... if landed this duck is beautiful, to be able to see it in flight with this clearness is spectacular.
Excellent definition, colorful, depth and frame.
Thanks for sharing.

  • Great 
  • zto Silver Star Critiquer [C: 38 W: 8 N: 0] (0)
  • [2004-08-06 6:36]

Wow Gert. What a photo you have here. Thsi is just perfect. The way you captured him, the moment you captured him. This is joy for the eyes Gert.

  • Great 
  • japie Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1996 W: 107 N: 1897] (5103)
  • [2004-08-06 7:08]

They say that practice makes perfect, and here we have a perfect shot - You can now post one a day of these and I will guarantee you points from my side :). There is nothing to add here besides that this shot is perfect! Very well taken.

  • Great 
  • AndyB Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1595 W: 32 N: 1362] (3976)
  • [2004-08-06 7:11]

A fantastic capture.
Very nice colours and details with great DoF.
Excellent,very well done.

Fantastic shot here Gert.
What a timing, what a speed. Great colours too, really fantastic job you did. My compliments for this.

  • Great 
  • Pedda Silver Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 47 W: 1 N: 253] (1257)
  • [2004-08-06 7:39]

This picture is one of the reasons why I bought myself a dslr camera. Sharp, excellent colors and details. Dina ankbilder är grymt bra!

Look pretty much perfect to me, Gert. Great in-flight capture of the duck, very rich in colors, and the 1/500 again gives a fine subtle feeling of motion. Your shooting angle was ideal to be able to see both wings, and to capture the very target-oriented posture of the bird. DOF is great, too, very good effort.

Ho! superb shot in flight!! Very nice colors, good details.
Continue like this.
Congratulations.

  • Great 
  • Esox Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 287 W: 27 N: 352] (948)
  • [2004-08-06 12:40]

Fantastic picture.
The high shuting speed freezes the move,
and colours are beautiful.
Congratulations.

THIS PICTURE LOOKS AS IF IT HAS 3 DIMENSIONS. WELL DONE. RAZORSHARP!!!!!

  • Great 
  • barkin (26)
  • [2004-08-06 16:42]

perfect catch... colors awesome... splendid

A real WOW of a shot Gert absolutley perfect no more to be said.

What can I add that has not been said...

Exceptional talent applied in this shot. Keep 'em comming.

Let's see action ! !
What a moment, you pictured this one, sharp and clear in details, very, very well done, Gert !

Beautiful capture, you really had a lucky hand with this one, colours, sharpness, it's all there. The background looks cold ;-)

Absolutely second to none Gert. Great capture, the colours are very good and natural, excellent use of dof and the crop leaves just enough space in front of him.

  • Great 
  • Bac Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Note Writer [C: 100 W: 3 N: 42] (528)
  • [2004-08-07 17:12]

That's a fantastic shot. Good job

Thank you.

Great Shot !

Wow. That is absolutely unbelievable sharpness. The DOF is perfect. I love the colors. Going straight to my favorites.

Incredible shot!! Perfectly sharp with just the right amount of blur of the wingtips. Very nice!

Gert!

I don't like say about this shot with a few words as usual,Let me see it more,only.

THANKS for sharing,Gert!

Yours
Mohammad

I really love the details of the feathers. Closing opening the apperture a little might have saved the little blur at the end of the wings.
Super shot

This is a great capture. It shows a perfect flight pose, and the colors are as vibrant as if you took a photo of a coloring book.

what a beauty !!!

the colours are very good, i like the curled up feet and the curls on the tail feathers.

WELL DONE !!

  • Great 
  • pione Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 94 W: 0 N: 113] (542)
  • [2004-09-28 9:37]

Very, very fantastic picture, Gert, compliments!

Gert, what a breathtaking shot. Great shot, great timing, great colors. Congratulations.

This is first class work. Everything is so wonderful. Very well done, indeed.

This is so wonderful Gert. Color, textures of a duck and so dynamic because its in flight. Just so wonderful Gert and encouraging for me. By amateur I'm a nature/adventurer photographer and your photo is something like a dream for me. My favorite and thank you Gert.

  • Great 
  • Galax (92)
  • [2004-10-18 9:42]

Unbelievable, I have no questions

This is the most amazing in-flight detail I have seen. The color and clarity are marvelous and the DOF and timing perfect. Very Well Done.

Gert, this is a fantastic shot. So much detail and colur contrast. LIke Jepie says, you can't get much better than this. This would have to be the best Mallard shot I've seen in 25 years of birdwatching. Thank u for sharing, Chris.

  • Great 
  • gazo Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Note Writer [C: 74 W: 0 N: 13] (88)
  • [2004-10-29 21:10]

A colors symphony in a one subjet picture.
Two tumbs up! **

Superbe ! Ce colvert en vol est magnigique... Bravo pour ce fantastique cliché !

Wow!1 The colours and details are fantastic. Very beautiful Gert.

Beautiful detail! Interesting in light of all the arguments about the quality of Sigma lenses (I have the 70-300 mmAPO) - hard to belive that you can get a crisper image than this with a Canon or Nikkor lens.

wow great one!

  • Great 
  • optic Gold Star Critiquer [C: 322 W: 0 N: 0] (0)
  • [2004-12-05 7:56]

One of my prefered ! you did a great shot Gert, i like the perfect focus,background color and more...
10 points !!!

This picture is extraordinaire. At All levels, Sharpness, Action, Colours, beauty everything.

Are you happy with your sigma 70-200 ? Do you know if the results except for aperture are very different from the 70/300 APO ? (Sharpness)

Regards
Pedro

  • Great 
  • radz Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 610 W: 11 N: 605] (3155)
  • [2004-12-25 12:00]

Great flying bird capture really.All aspects i give five star.
Cheers,
Radz

  • Great 
  • twofun (26)
  • [2004-12-27 0:56]

Amazing color and brightness.
You are yhe professinal.

Thanks for sharing this shot.

Wow is really all that needs to be said, and has already been said about this photo. Simply amazing shot and so clear it almost doesn't look real.

  • Great 
  • Okan Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 104 W: 57 N: 68] (518)
  • [2005-01-11 5:44]

A superb capture! I really love it. Action on the wings but body still standing. Wonderful, thank you.

sharpness is incredible , very well done. amazing shot.

Stunning! Obviously the colors grab the eye, and the blurring on the wingtips contrasts a sense a motion with an otherwise completely frozen bird. Amazing shot!

Very nice! Perfect focus! Congratulations and thanks for sharing your experience!

what a wonderful day, photo, bird, momment ... perfect ... no additional commentaries ...
i will post my first photo here at TN of a bird too in honor of your photo that is the first one that captured my complete emotion ...
thanks for sharing

A super photo of the breed, especially blue speculum seems so attractive. Well done!

  • Great 
  • Luc Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2065 W: 316 N: 4403] (14705)
  • [2005-01-22 16:05]

There is a lot of pictures on TN I did not see yet, Gert. I joined last September 20.
I found this jewel.
Delectable!
Thanks

  • Great 
  • hania (80)
  • [2005-01-22 20:03]

You have no idea how much I like your work!Great eye!

Added in my favorites in August, but just found I never wrote something about it ;-(. What comes immediately in mind is the brilliant sharpness and superb colors of that photo. Yellow, green, blue and red patches following in line in the grey shades of the body, everything being in a soft grey environment... great combination. We are not talking here just about a duck, but about a fantastic motion catch in the air. Kind of shot you have the chance to realize in a few hundreds. Save the original on a few different backing medias.
Added jan 26: I wish I could give you FOUR points to reach 100 and match your Taxi Drive. Congratulations.

  • Great 
  • sAner Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1657 W: 79 N: 1456] (4740)
  • [2005-01-29 8:06]
  • [+]

Unbelievable! I am just so jealous (in a healthy kind of way ...;). A flying bird is HIGH on my wish list. The bright colors of your picture & the sharpness is just fantastic. You don't need to practice anymore!

This is one of the most amazing bird in flight photos I have seen.

  • Great 
  • puffy Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 314 W: 0 N: 352] (1349)
  • [2005-02-06 4:33]

Gret... Great shot!!! Its a beautiful shot of the Mallard! love the colour, fantastic capture... thanks for sharing

wow! Incredible shot....amazing!

no more words...i like that../ great Shot

  • Great 
  • Hisam Silver Star Critiquer/Silver Note Writer [C: 20 W: 1 N: 22] (215)
  • [2005-02-26 15:25]

This is a great picture,

  • Great 
  • Toni Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 403 W: 2 N: 316] (2034)
  • [2005-02-28 7:36]

This is too perfect. The colours and details are amazing. Congratulations.

  • Great 
  • ariw Silver Star Critiquer/Silver Note Writer [C: 29 W: 8 N: 25] (179)
  • [2005-02-28 13:41]

Gert, this is really amazing, splendid. The color composition is good, and sharp although lost in the edge of the wings but it's ok. I like this picture. Did it sharp due to EOS 10D or the sigma ?

Everything's already been said Gert. A magnificent shot.

Hi
Fantastic shot
great picture.

fantastic shot --great colours---could you share with us your great technique in shooting this type of shot?

  • Great 
  • es841 (26)
  • [2005-03-14 13:18]

Incredible pictures. You must be patient to have so beautyfull shot! Color,frame and sharp is exellent. Congratulation.

  • Great 
  • vlad (26)
  • [2005-03-17 8:20]

Very nice photo: colours, sharpness, subject... Well done!!!

  • Great 
  • manyee Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3068 W: 231 N: 5845] (19390)
  • [2005-03-27 12:44]

This is an unbelievable shot. What sharpness of details on a bird in flight. You have to have a lot of skills to pull that one off. The colors and the light are perfect as well. Thanks for sharing this fantastic photo.

  • Great 
  • tambaki (172)
  • [2005-03-31 15:11]

great shot, congratulations!!!

Probably the best shot I have seen - perfect! Tim

Just perfect Gert.
Congratulations, I think it is the BEST!
Well done.

Hrllo Grt,

what a nice shot of a ordinary duck.
No creature is ordinary if you are able to see the real thing. You made it!

Thomas

wow! this is GREAT! nice colors, brightness, sharpness...in 1 word: perfect!

This is superb! How on earth did you manage to capture this shot?

terific picture. One of the best I ever seen. Bravo

Very nice shot with great depth of field and slight motion blur. Well done.

Thanks for the comments on My Pelican Rock photos. I would say this is a stunning photo, and you are quite the photographer. I will be back often to learn from your photos, thanks CK

  • Great 
  • lost (0)
  • [2005-05-07 6:51]

Fantastic..i love it..is an amaizing shot.

Flying bird shots are so impressive, especially after trying for hours to get a good one....This is one of the best I've seen. Perfect compostition, exposure and focus. How do you do it?!

So beautiful this photo. You did an excellent work. The subject is very sharp with superb colors and details. Bravo!

  • Great 
  • annica (48)
  • [2005-05-24 3:03]

This is so beautiful.
Great image.

Stunning; what more can we say????

Well, one more thing...the bird is so perfect it looks stuffed!

Fantastic!

Perfect! Incredible sharpness, splendid colors, excellent timing. Great work.
Bravo!
Unsal

Excellent in flight shot, good crisp detail and excellent capture on the color. I might have been tempted to run a weak noise reducer on the backgound only, but looking at the shot the current level seems to support the bird. Well taken.

excellent sharp cature, beautifu colours!

  • Great 
  • basman (8)
  • [2005-05-30 12:09]

Too good to be true. Thats incredible!!!

  • Great 
  • marco (120)
  • [2005-05-30 14:36]

Beautiful Gert. I've seen your other shots and all are very sharp. It seems that your Canon and Sigma objectives are complementary. I use a Canon 300D and don't know if I must buy a Canon or Sigma objective.

Beautyfull photo.

Welcome to TN.

Holy cow (or should I say duck?)
You know what, I kind of like the little blurry edge to the feathertips. Makes it more dynamic and suggests movement.

The colors are simply amazing. These birds can often be seen in my backyard, and they are standard to Holland. So standard, that you tend to overlook how beautiful they are. You brought the specialness of them back to me. Thank you for that!

  • Great 
  • ToM (59)
  • [2005-07-11 12:17]

Gert,
so many critiques and comments, you might not read mine but hey, I wanna say thank you for this shot to share... It's amazing... can't find words...
cheers
ToM

Wonderful Gert..
Very nice shot, excellent composition and great colours.
Regrads
Amir

  • Great 
  • Phoki Silver Star Critiquer/Silver Note Writer [C: 48 W: 0 N: 21] (284)
  • [2005-07-19 4:18]

Amaizing detail of the bird!Fantastic!!
Congratulations!
Kiril

Hello, this is so well captured. How can you manage? I always try but I am never fast enough to set my camera... the birds are gone.

The composition is perfect, the definition, the details of the feather, the colours the POV. I cannot find anything wrong.

Take care, Yan

  • Great 
  • hekcik Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 329 W: 15 N: 303] (1799)
  • [2005-07-20 15:35]

Hi Gert,

This is fantastic shot!!! Congratulations!!!

TFS
Norbert

I do not think I can say anything that hasn't already been said. :)

  • Great 
  • fario Silver Note Writer [C: 2 W: 4 N: 12] (235)
  • [2005-07-23 13:48]

Vraiment belle photo, un modèle du genre

Herny

Hi Gert

What a shot! So vivid. The fact is that this shot in-motion is too hard to catch! And so shar. The colors are very fine and vivid. You think that this duck is flying infront of me! Very fine and impressive work! Well done!

  • Great 
  • osse Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1033 W: 0 N: 87] (7625)
  • [2005-09-23 22:24]

Wow.Thsi is just perfect.A fantastic capture.colours and sharpness it's all there.
Tummen upp
osse

Holy crap. perfection. nothing else to say

This is juicy looking..Slurp!...oh! not the duck, the over all picture itself, I've never eaten duck in my entire life...honestly 'gulp'. This really is a nice shot Gert. Paul :)

Wooooow!!! Excellent! Congratulations.

Very nice
I love this photo!
There are amazing colors that I like them.
conguratulations.
and thanks for sharing
good luck
Milad

this photo tells me only one thing ...
.. i wish I could fly :-(

Hi Gert, This is really a superb shot, the colours are great and also the focus. Well done on catching this one flying.

Its sure is getting cold now...... :-( I look forward to see some of your winter shots.

Take care

Demetrio

Gert,

Simply the best picture I have seen so far.
Very impressive. Hopefully this picture will break the 200 mark soon !!!

hi Gert .... c'est plus que parfait .... c'est superbe

  • Great 
  • Runs Silver Star Critiquer [C: 12 W: 3 N: 0] (53)
  • [2005-11-05 13:59]

Rien à redire ! Superbe cliché !

  • Great 
  • mano Silver Star Critiquer [C: 11 W: 0 N: 5] (48)
  • [2005-11-07 10:28]

Hi Gert,
Magnificent shot !
Superb colours. Congratulations.

Thanks for sharing.

Omar/MANO

  • Great 
  • sgo Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 136 W: 36 N: 241] (716)
  • [2005-11-17 11:44]

Hi Gert,
Your male mallard just flew past my screen and barely nudged my forehead. Running out of superlatives I simply say: that must be one of those all-time-highs!
Goran

  • Great 
  • reina Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 254 W: 1 N: 308] (1907)
  • [2005-11-18 16:39]

what a nice capture, I thougt it was a new capture, there's a lot to learn, thanks for shearing greetings reina

  • Great 
  • RII Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 459 W: 0 N: 810] (2544)
  • [2005-11-23 21:59]

Hi Gert.
Is a beatiful shot.. very nice.
colors, compositions, details..is perfect.
Congratulations Gert.
Saludos...RICARDO.

Gert, I must say this is an awesome flight captured and goes into my favourite list. I have seen many of these in Minnesota, they are so ajile. Great colors and clarity.

This is a great shot. In flight with amazing colours. WOW!

wow, what a great picture, it is simply so good that I do not know what could I say. I love the colours, and the focus, all of them are so good, again wow!
Very well done
Artur

Very good sharpness for flight photo. Great details, colors and DOF. It's difficult shot but done very well.

Excellent capture Gert,
Perfect composition,superb detail and colours.
Superb job,very well done!
Eduardo Martins

Very impressive, dynamic picture with excellent composition. A masterpiece.
Thank you. Regards, Peter

So many stunning shots to choose from, I thought I'd start with this one. This is incredible. I love the bit of show of motion on the wingtips, and the depth is perfect. This photo reminds me of something right out of Winged Migration. IMO, this couldn't be better in all aspects, especially how the colors "pop" right out of the scene against the more neutral tones...beautiful work.

bonjour gert
specaculaire,magnifique et favorite.
laurent

  • Great 
  • zeca Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 364 W: 14 N: 529] (2761)
  • [2006-01-16 10:29]

Wow, Gert! What a nice photo! Excelent work on DOF! Nice colours and sharpness. Perfect timing! Tfs!
Zeca

  • Great 
  • mlines Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 476 W: 15 N: 513] (2285)
  • [2006-01-22 14:50]

Magnificent bird, captured well. This is a wonderful photo to see. The way the bird is crystal clear and the background less so make the subject stand out. My goal is to take at least a few photos of this quality. Well done.

Magnifique photo prise de ce colvert en plein vol les couleurs sont superbes encore félicitation

Verry nice and remarkable, what else is there to say ?

This is one beautiful shot Gert. Great job considering how fast these Mallards are.
Bill

Wow ,Thats the one. I have a lot of work to do
Real tricky stuff.Thanks for the shot.
Steve

Hi Gert,

Excellent shot.capture a flying duck in these details, sharpness and colours are very difficult.This one is perfect.
Congratulations and TFS.
-Burak-

Hi Gert, Excellent photo. DOF,POV and focus well taken care of. The other important aspect is your composition. Just as a point for others also to remember is the space in front of a flying bird should always be more that behind in order to enhace the movement. You did this perfectly so well done.

Great picture! This mallard is really wonderful.
Thank you for the critique.
Maurizio

  • Great 
  • Scott Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 210 W: 0 N: 287] (1366)
  • [2006-04-07 10:41]

That is a wonderful shot, I have tried many times to get printable photos of ducks and usually end up with blurred photos of ducks flying away. Well done.

  • Great 
  • ddg Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 883 W: 19 N: 913] (4890)
  • [2006-04-09 6:45]

Hello Gert, je ne me souvenais pas de ce record!! Fantastic shot, the best on TN with a flying Duck. Best regards; Didier.

  • Great 
  • cosmln Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 196 W: 12 N: 453] (1740)
  • [2006-05-20 15:45]

hi Gert,

just browsing and seen this.
is unbeliveble.
just WOW
TFS
cosmln

Hi Gert,

A breath taking picture... Fabulous !

Wow, perfect capture of the movement, very interesting and good colors.

  • Great 
  • Etka Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 102 W: 0 N: 60] (502)
  • [2006-06-23 16:26]

Przepiekna!! Wspaniale ujecie! Rewelacja! Gratuluje!

  • Great 
  • ma-at Silver Star Critiquer/Silver Note Writer [C: 18 W: 0 N: 26] (142)
  • [2006-06-28 4:01]

A wonderful image, very clear and crisp..well caught.

Hallo Gert,

Excellent shot with razor sharp details though taken in full flight! Very good work with the defocused BG which makes the duck stand out so well! I also consider this photo to be exposed excellently, considering you shot it against a bright white BG. Composition is also very good. I like the fact that the brownish color of the upper part of the wings can also be found in the nicely defocused BG, giving the picture unity. Another nice thing worth mentioning is the way you followed the rules of thirds by framing the bird so that the elements in the BG are placed along the lines which divide the picture area into thirds. Colors look very natural with nice contrast between different parts of the duck's body parts. You did a great job! Congratulations and TFS!

Regards,
Eddie

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  • Hil Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 757 W: 11 N: 1321] (4297)
  • [2006-07-24 15:59]

Hi Gert

I had a look at some of your Mallards after reading your critique, I love this action shot, the colours are stunning, I hope mine can be as good one day.

TFS Hilary

Hi Gert,
Superb shot. Very sharp but still can feel vibration on the wings [viewing blurry edge of the wings]. No doubt, this is one of the greatest nature picture.

Ben Lakitan

Fantastic shot!
Best regards
JJ

very good shot

Gert,
Undoubtedly one of THE pictures here.
Thought I already critiqued it.
Wonderful!
Annick

Hello Gert, just fabulous!!!!
Excellent shot with razor sharp details though taken in full flight! Amazingly well done. Full smileys to you!!!!
: ) Lynette

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  • TBW Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 95 W: 28 N: 200] (812)
  • [2006-09-25 3:11]

WOW!
Great shot! Its just perfect, with details, sharpness, light and colours. I`ve been wanting a Canon 70-200 2,8L but I see that the sigma lens delivers great shots as well - maybe I`ll just save me that money!

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  • aan (115)
  • [2006-09-26 3:59]

Beautiful capture, Interesting in light of all the arguments about the quality of Sigma lenses.

Hi Gert
I see this picture and really I can't transcend it.
great work,
Lucian.

Hello Gert, great killer shot really beautyful,
Great PoV and capture, sharpness, well done,
I have done a WS I hope you like it too ;-)
Regards,
Nelson

Hi!
Wonderful colours composition and sharpness...
Excellent shot!!

Thanks, Enrico.

Hi Gert,
Another sampe of perfect shot..
Sharpness of the flying duck should be the most difficult oneconsiderin the one with doesnt move..
Regards,
Ali Sözer

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  • methos Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 224 W: 55 N: 291] (1159)
  • [2006-12-08 12:47]

PERFECTION.
Nothing to critique.
Just beautiful!!

Beautiful colors and wonderful timing. I like the slight blur at the tips of the wings.

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  • hibou Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 194 W: 1 N: 345] (1509)
  • [2007-01-07 19:08]

Hello Gert,

What a great timing You had to do this perfect picture. Congatulations and TFS
Donald

Lovely colours, slightly oversharpened judging by the 'halo' round the bird and really showing the Mallard as one of the most colourful european ducks. I like to try for birds in flight but like them taken as they fly towards me.
Peter

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  • joelo Silver Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Silver Note Writer [C: 44 W: 14 N: 38] (146)
  • [2007-01-24 21:38]

Hi Gert,

This verges on perfection. The exposure and focus are right on, and the 1/500 gave you good sharpness with a moving target. Best of all, the eye level POV makes for an outstanding composition.

Regards,
Joel

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  • Isu Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Note Writer [C: 315 W: 0 N: 21] (1659)
  • [2007-02-21 17:55]

Hola Gert, bella imagen, muy buena captura, los colores muy nítidos, muy detallado el plumaje, buen encuadre y espléndida luz, buen trabajo. Saludos Sira

Great shot! you got the bird so clear and sharp against the out-of-focus background. perfect image for a serious photo or outdoor magazine.
Keep up the good work and thanks for sharing.

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  • kai (39)
  • [2007-03-16 9:26]

a lot of people already tell how beautiful of this image, I just want to say (again) that It's really beautiful. Thanks for sharing : )

Hi Gert,
All I can say is WOW.
Well done,
Nick :-)

hello Gert,

i like too to take photos of flying ducks,
your's is the best one that i have ever seen before

WOW

bravo and thank's for the shating

Asbed

Stunning simply emaculate. Excellent timing lighting and perespective.
great shot.
thanks for sharing.
Regards from INDIA.

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  • PeterZ Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 878 W: 46 N: 1645] (5627)
  • [2007-05-12 11:44]

Hello gert,
This is fabulous. Totally perfect. Every day I see them flying, but now I see the beauty of it.
Regards,
Peter

Hello Gert.

Excellent picture, nice composition and colors.

Regards.
Jose Luis.

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  • sily Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 263 W: 6 N: 384] (1807)
  • [2007-06-09 19:08]

HI Gert!
Amazingly captured and very nice photo of this beautiful bird! Great sharpness and DOF. Really profesional work!

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  • eev Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Silver Note Writer [C: 65 W: 34 N: 42] (604)
  • [2007-06-26 19:58]

Love that one.. Its perfect.

Wow exellent shot
perfekt timing and amaing sharpness
very well done
Toba

great shot , really wonderfull photo

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  • Anatoli (187)
  • [2007-07-24 15:35]

просто офигеть :)))))

Wouaw Gert, I love it
Congratulations,
Pat

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  • Max31 Silver Star Critiquer/Silver Note Writer [C: 15 W: 0 N: 38] (178)
  • [2007-08-02 10:59]

Gert good evening,
Splendid photo of this duck in flight, all is perfect
Bravo!
Max.

Non posso che associarmi, al coro di tutti quelli che mi hanno preceduto, immagine stupenda e perfetta!
Un saluto cordiale Pierdamiano

What a work of art! Incredible capture - congrats!

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  • iamxa (42)
  • [2007-08-23 19:06]