A wonderful image Sophie. Very well captured, processed and presented. Sharp where it should be sharp, around the ducks face and also very good detail held in the feathers. The water surface and reflection also contribute well to fill the entire image area and leave no empty spaces. My only question is can the white area above the eye be toned down a little? Maybe bring back some detail and not make that white so stark? Just a minor detail. I love to see photographers develop and improve in their favourite genres, but I also love to see them try new subjects, because in my humble opinion, that's when we grow in our skills. Bravo Sophie   Posted: 11/11/2023 05:32:40

Mandarin ducks make a lovely colourful subject and you have captured this one very well. I love all the movement and reflections in the water. I agree with Ian that the area above the eye looks a bit flat and over-exposed, I don't know whether you can recover the detail. Otherwise well done, especially on trying something different.   Posted: 11/11/2023 11:00:25

Where are you where you have Mandarin ducks? What a beautiful bird. Nice capture. Love the reflections.   Posted: 11/12/2023 16:15:27

Beautiful photograph. Great detail, color, and sharpness. The reflection in the water adds depth and interest to the photo.   Posted: 11/15/2023 02:02:21

Sophie, nice capture and you have left a wonderful amount of space at right. The white on the duck can be toned down a tad, but the other colors are brilliant. The water, IMHO, adds a wonderful colorful contrast and also plays with the duck's reflection. I very much like what you have there!   Posted: 11/19/2023 18:21:00