Common Goldeneyes

[bromm]

Its been real cold here lately so the open water is limited which makes for great duck photography especially when a white sheet is used. Minus 24 celcius here this morning but we have a 4 day thaw coming so I thought I had better get my act together and try the ducks after 2hours of waiting I was getting very cold. For some reason only one male would come to the area I set up in.Bright sunny day so I had to underexpose to save the whites. Again I forgot my 1.4X in the car. All shots taken with a monopod.

#1
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e286/bromm/album2/IMG_1626-01.jpg

#2
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e286/bromm/album2/IMG_1614-01.jpg

#3
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e286/bromm/album2/IMG_1605-01.jpg

#4

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e286/bromm/album2/IMG_1602-01.jpg

#5
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e286/bromm/album2/IMG_1600-01.jpg

#6 Can they take off fast? oh yeah

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e286/bromm/album2/IMG_1631-01.jpg

#7 When you have good lighting you can get good crops out of an XT, this photo was taken at ISO 400, no noise reduction inside or outside the camera, first image is uncropped.
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e286/bromm/album2/IMG_1619-01uncropped.jpg

#8 cropped version
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e286/bromm/album2/IMG_1619-01.jpg

Thanks for looking!

[Cooper911]

I really like this series....shots are crisp and clean. Duct tape the 1.4 to the outside of your camera bag.

[hTr]

Super Series Trevor

[Booswalia]

You got some really good shots there, Trevor. # 2 and #5 are especially nice. You really captured the eye in these. Were you under a sheet for 2 hours in this cold?

[bromm]

I really like this series....shots are crisp and clean. Duct tape the 1.4 to the outside of your camera bag.

Thanks Coop, yeah the duct tape may be the way to go.:D

[bromm]

Super Series Trevor

Thanks Gary, appreciate it.:D

[bromm]

You got some really good shots there, Trevor. # 2 and #5 are especially nice. You really captured the eye in these. Were you under a sheet for 2 hours in this cold?

Crap, forgot to multi quote.
Thanks Shirley, yeah 2 hours on the ice under that thin white sheet in this cold, took me ten minutes in the car to get my toes thawed out.

[Duane N]

I don't see how you photographers do that up North...when it's 40 degrees here I stay inside. :p

Excellent series....thank you for braving the elements and sharing these with us. :D

[Howler-Cat]

Well captured series Trevor! T4S!

[NBDigger]

Nice shots Trevor. Are they from your Hope River site?

[Broncobear]

nice shots Trevor, I believe these are ound in my part of the woods, I should really try to find them

[aligater]

Nice series Trevor.

[snowyowl13]

Very nice, Trevor.

[wizard13]

Some really nice shots there. I was out over the weekend also but the goldeneyes' would not even come within range for a shot.

[canonloader]

Nice series Trevor. You sure do good with these ducks. I saw a solitary one yesterday, but he was way too far away, as the only open water was way too far away. :)

[Ilah]

Beautiful series Trevor. I've heard there is one or two around in my area but haven't seen one yet.

[StarDog]

Trevor, I know how spooked these guys are - Here in Maine they are being hunted till the 31st. Great series. My one bit of advice is to expose for the whites and process for the darks. I "try" to shoot these winter birds - which seem to be very white and v. dark by setting the metering on something white and adding a 1/3+ or more. Of course check for hot spots. My 2cents! Bob

[Phreddie]

A really nice series Trevor. We get them here in the winter, but they're usually on the other side of the lake :cry:

[Stephen Stephen]

Lovely series Trevor. I'm still hoping to get this close to goldeneyes.

I might suggest cropping a couple of shots a bit more on the top and right sides to bring your attention to the bird.

[Sindri Skulason]

Very nice series of this often skittish duck. :-)

[bromm]

Thanks everyone for viewing and commenting.

I didnt crop closer only because I didnt want to push the limits, as you can see by my sample, I have already cropped a lot. But thanks for the pointers, I have learned so much from this forum because of you folks giving me your opinion, THANKS :D

To get close I use this time of year to my advantage. Find a small open area of water where they are hanging out, that is far from other open water. That way when you spook them at your arrival, they will circle and come back to the only close open water. By that time you should be under your white sheet.:D Forget putting the sneak on these guys, it rarely works.

[rstuntz]

Nice series. I especially enojoy #6. It would have been nice to see the guys face but you can't do much about that can you ;) Nice lighting as well.

[craiggci]

Nice series of shots, well worth braving the cold for!

[philc123]

Lovely series Trevor, #2 being my fave.

Great captures. :)

[bromm]

Thanks Guys, Appreciate it.:D

[MDoc]

Nice behavior series Trevor