Yes, plain old water can be gorgeous – especially when it’s reflecting beautiful colors in whirly-swirly patterns and soft textures.
Yesterday morning it was 20° when I got up so I abandoned my tentative plans to go shooting due to the soft photos I’ve been consistently getting while photographing birds from my warm pickup in cold temperatures. That problem has sorta taken the wind out of my sails.
But when the sun came up four hours later the beautiful, though frigid, morning seduced me into trying my luck at a closer location while shooting from my tripod. That strategy solves my problem of differential temperatures causing soft shots so I decided to give it a go.
I’m glad I did.
1/3200, f/6.3, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
This preening Pied-billed Grebe wasn’t particularly close but that wasn’t an issue because a loose crop allowed me to include more of the gorgeous water in the frame. In fact, I considered a looser crop than this to include even more of it. I’ve fallen in love with the colorful reflections I got in this photo and many others of the same grebe.
Even though it’s a butt shot I chose to post this one, in part because of how well the grebe’s open bill and eye ring stand out.
I can only guess where some of the reflected colors came from. The blues are reflected sky and the golds and reds are likely from phrags along the shore but I’m not sure where the dark greens came from. At this point I’m beyond caring much about the source of the colors.
I’m just glad they’re all there.
Ron
Notes:
- Rotating this photo for level was tricky. To my eye the oval blue ripples need ever so slight clockwise rotation but in the end I rotated the photo based on the bird’s bill and its reflection, which is often the most reliable indicator of true level. With this particular photo neither choice seems to look quite level so for today’s presentation I settled on this version. Next time I process the image I might level for the oval blue ripples.
- During processing I didn’t manipulate anything in the photo, including colors. All I did was crop and sharpen.
- “Gorgeous” of course is in the eye of the beholder. I seldom use that term to describe my photos and I’ve used it three times in this post which gives me pause. But for my tastes, if any of my photos deserve such heavy use of that overused descriptor it’s this one.
Beautiful photo, Ron. I love the grebe! Fluffy feathering of it tail and sides, open mouth and lovely eye! The water looks like molten metal. Perfection!
The two lower reflections of the grebe’s eye — especially of the catch light — seem to be consistent with the reflections of the bill. It looks level to me.
Gorgeous is an apt descriptor. Stunning would be another one.
The grebe seems to be laughing: “I’m showing Ron mah butt!” And an adorable tush it is.
Stunning! It’s just stunning, Ron.
Astonishing colors!
Thank you for all the positive comments everyone!
It’s always nice to know that that others appreciate an image that I like so much. Sometimes my tastes can be a little wonky so it doesn’t always turn out that way.
I’ve been out shooting all morning and got home later than usual so I decided to thank most of you collectively instead of individually.
Yes!!!!
Not only are the colors “gorgeous” – but the soft feathering of the edges and the transition of the colors also caught my eye as very unusual and striking. And also love the head turn of the grebe. Beautiful photo!
Gorgeous indeed. I am sooooo glad that you were tempted out, and am sure you agreed.
The grebe doesn’t look unhappy either.
So dramatic, so beautiful! An opera star in mid-aria on an amazing surrealistic set! Bravo!
(Any way to open the crop on the right side to complete the second ring of the ripples?)
Carolyn, if I remember correctly I have plenty of room in the frame to complete that ring. And it might be a good idea, although it would make the grebe even smaller in the frame.
This has to be one of your most beautiful photos ever. Stunning.
Fuzzy buns! LOVE these “plain” little birds. Thanks for the lovely photo, Ron!
If there isn’t a museum for avian photography then there should be. And this should have a wall of its own. Remarkable.
Yes!!
Beautiful shot in all respects. The colors are wonderful. All we’ve had here for the past few days is dull gray fog.
Nothing wrong with a butt shot when the butt in question is a cute little Grebe butt. And, yes, the colors in the water are gorgeous. Glad you got out to get this photo.
Absolutely the loveliest surround I’ve ever seen in a photo. It even helps
the Pied -billed Grebe look handsome , and I’ve always thought it to be the
homeliest-looking of birds—what a winner, all around–congratulations !
Wow that’s pretty! Nature does not disappoint – glorious!
This photo is beautiful! It actually brought tears to my eyes. I hope I do not sound nutty.
Take Care and Thank You,
Kaye
I agree… and not nutty at all!
I agree, gorgeous and artistic,
Has to be one of the most beautiful and colorful reflection photos I have ever seen. And the photo of the Grebe is excellent even if by itself. Gorgeous three times is very acceptable for this one.
Looks very level to me. I think tweaking it would be a mistake.
Funny thinking about leveling – I have a drooping right shoulder resulting from a broken collarbone bike crash many years back and since I am right handed all my photos have to be rotated to the left to achieve a level look.
Another thing we share, Everett. I also have a drooping right shoulder. Mines from overdeveloping my right arm as a result of throwing the javelin competitively in high school and college.
I ran track and high jumped, but way too light to get into any of those throwing sports, but I really enjoyed watching the javelin and discus throwers. Remember when Bob Mathias and then Milt Campbell won the Decathelon pretty much out of high school and training on their own. Now all the track and field winners are so highly trained using the most state of the art technology etc.
Your angle was perfect getting the greenish reflection around the head. That is a really nice image!
WOW!! That is a striking shot!
Great job!
Thanks, Dick.
Stunningly Beautiful, Ron! 🙂 Open mouth of the Grebe – black vertical stripe really stands out – shows him “talking” to you perhaps…. 😉 Colors in the ripples are beautiful. A trip out well worth it in my opinion tho shutter finger is probably questioning the wisdom of that…. 😉
Judy, the grebe was actually preening but I agree, it looks like the bird was vocalizing.
Gorgeous, gorgeous colours and reflections. And over the shoulder eye and beak as pretty as this just don’t count as butt shots in my book.
“And over the shoulder eye and beak as pretty as this just don’t count as butt shots in my book.”
In this case I agree. Thanks, Granny Pat.
Ron – I just love this photo of this sweet Pied-bill Grebe in such colorful waters. I’m so glad you decided to go out and was rewarded with this special capture. I so enjoy seeing these birds at Green Cay but never in this kind of setting!!!
Jo Ann, I’m glad I made that decision too, even though I nearly froze my shutter finger off.
Breathtakingly gorgeous, IMHO
Sue, I value your humble opinion. Always have.
Absolutely beautiful Ron.
Thank you, Mark.
This is sheer perfection. I have a few photos with similar reflections, but the colors tend to green, gold, and blue. The presence of the reddish colors here complements the bird wonderfully well. I always count myself lucky when I find water disturbed by under-surface swells rather than wind, and I must say you were very, very lucky indeed with this one. I’ll add another ‘gorgeous,’ because I’m not sure three gorgeouses are enough.
“I’ll add another ‘gorgeous,’ because I’m not sure three gorgeouses are enough.”
Thanks for the chuckle, Shoreacres.
Gorgeous indeed– I will say it again1 I have sometimes made the mistake of leveling on the horizon, only to realize that my subject was askew.
Kenneth, it happens to all of us occasionally but leveling cues that are apparently conflicting are frustrating.
Well done! and the Grebe agrees!
Thanks, Terri.