Stan Bormann, FPSA, MPSA
November 2020 - Loon Portrait
About the Image(s)
Shot June 11, 2020 at 7:05am with an Olympus Micro 4/3s camera and Panasonic 100 - 400 lens at ISO 640, 400 mm, f/9.0, 1/640 sec. The loon was close to a wooded shore providing the green reflection with blue where the small waves reflected the sky. Cooperated with a good pose in good light to show his red eye. There is almost no detail in a loons patch of white on the chest over the water and the exposure seemed to show none. A brush selection pulling the exposure down over one stop and bringing up the contrast a great deal and then removing any resulting color cast by taking the saturation way down provided about as much detail as there really is.
This round’s discussion is now closed!
6 comments posted
Hi Stan, An outstanding shot! Great composition and sharpness. One question to consider...what about altering the color or highlights just a bit in the water...to take off some of the glare? Anyway just a thought...Terrific image!
Norm Posted: 11/11/2020 13:17:15
Norm Posted: 11/11/2020 13:17:15
A nice portrait of the Loon. I like the head position and the tight crop, also the reflection of the bird in the slightly disturbed water. Posted: 11/15/2020 06:04:40
Very good portrait of the loon. I did not know that they had red eyes -- maybe depending on the light? The loons I took in September showed very dark eyes. Does that mean the light was not hitting their eyes?
I liked the pose, the crop, the colors of the water,sky reflections and the small waves surrounding this bird. I would not change a thing. Posted: 11/17/2020 18:02:21
I liked the pose, the crop, the colors of the water,sky reflections and the small waves surrounding this bird. I would not change a thing. Posted: 11/17/2020 18:02:21
(Group 40)
Stan, you notched it! As a Minnesota resident I know loons are hard to photograph. Posted: 11/20/2020 14:09:28
These are rarely seen in PSA exhibitions or competitions. There are not a lot of people with the opportunity to shoot them and they are the most fun to shoot when there are small chicks. This provides a very narrow window on most lakes. Our Lake Ada in Minnesota is typically blessed with three to five nests and the photography of chicks is limited to about two to three weeks typically in June. They don't seem to mind our boats or kayaks much however and pretty much go about their activities with us close enough with a 300mm plus lens. Posted: 11/21/2020 19:26:16
Harriet Ciccone
Great shot, I particularly like the reflection. Was it possible to see the total loon in the reflection? Posted: 11/22/2020 10:58:02