Yes, Another DUCK! Can anyone explain why the head looks blue?

RandyMN · 10th of April 2009 (Fri)

After all, it is a Mallard with a green head and I did not change color or temperature.

DigitalSpecialist · 10th of April 2009 (Fri)

You are seeing a natural lighting color distortion/change. It is very common when shooting a black animal to see a blue hue off the fur. Your experiencing the same effect visually off the green of the head.

RandyMN · 10th of April 2009 (Fri)

DigitalSpecialist, I like that title. Maybe my job can reclassify me.

Thanks, I figured the duck must have irredescent feathers. Never really noticed it while seeing at ducks in person.

Ducks! Don't ya just love them?

chauncey · 10th of April 2009 (Fri)

Only with L'orange sauce.

Tom Reichner · 13th of April 2009 (Mon)

A couple weeks ago, I took an image of a half dozen Shovelers in flight. 5 drakes show the typical green head. The 6th drake's head looks blue. I mean really blue. Just the way the light was hitting it, I suppose.
-Tom

gasrocks · 26th of April 2009 (Sun)

Mallards freely mate with many different ducks - especially domestic varieties. I have been told that there are a few Mallards with blue heads out there.

res · 27th of April 2009 (Mon)

It is most likely light reflection. I was watching a couple just a couple of days ago after seeing this thread and I looked at the shoreline of a lake I was passing and there was a blue headed mallard. I stopped and it suddenly changed direction and his head was green. I am trying to remember but I do believe he was heavily back lit just like yours. When the light hit directly, it was green. Rick

jsinon · 29th of April 2009 (Wed)

Quote:

Originally Posted by gasrocks

Mallards freely mate with many different ducks - especially domestic varieties. I have been told that there are a few Mallards with blue heads out there.

Ditto, I was shooting a few mallards on the lake I live on, and one of them had a blue head. It most definitely had nothing to do with the light. No matter what the angle of light hitting the heads, the green ones were green and the blue one stayed blue. I've also seen some other even more interesting color combinations. Seems those mallards will "get busy" with anybody

10th of April 2009 (Fri)	#1
RandyMN Goldmember Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: MN Posts: 2,746 IMAGE EDITING OK	Yes, Another DUCK! Can anyone explain why the head looks blue? After all, it is a Mallard with a green head and I did not change color or temperature. Last edited by RandyMN : 10th of July 2009 (Fri) at 11:25.

10th of April 2009 (Fri)	#2
DigitalSpecialist Goldmember Join Date: May 2008 Location: Finding a New World, thru my camera Posts: 2,285 IMAGE EDITING OK	Re: Yes, Another DUCK! Can anyone explain why the head looks blue? You are seeing a natural lighting color distortion/change. It is very common when shooting a black animal to see a blue hue off the fur. Your experiencing the same effect visually off the green of the head. __________________ JIM EOS 630, 1N, 1DsMkII, and 5D/wgrip and some L glass.....

10th of April 2009 (Fri)	#3
RandyMN Goldmember Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: MN Posts: 2,746 IMAGE EDITING OK	Re: Yes, Another DUCK! Can anyone explain why the head looks blue? DigitalSpecialist, I like that title. Maybe my job can reclassify me. Thanks, I figured the duck must have irredescent feathers. Never really noticed it while seeing at ducks in person. Ducks! Don't ya just love them?

10th of April 2009 (Fri)	#4
chauncey Cream of the Crop Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: MI/CO Posts: 7,690 IMAGE EDITING OK	Re: Yes, Another DUCK! Can anyone explain why the head looks blue? Only with L'orange sauce. __________________ The things you do for yourself die with you, the things you do for others live forever. A man's worth should be judged, not when he basks in the sun, but how he faces the storm. Gear...Ds Mk III, 16-35 f/2.8, 24-105 f/4.0, 70-200 f/4 and f/2.8, 300 f/2.8, and assorted other stuff.

13th of April 2009 (Mon)	#5
Tom Reichner Goldmember Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Washington state, USA Posts: 3,902	Re: Yes, Another DUCK! Can anyone explain why the head looks blue? A couple weeks ago, I took an image of a half dozen Shovelers in flight. 5 drakes show the typical green head. The 6th drake's head looks blue. I mean really blue. Just the way the light was hitting it, I suppose. -Tom __________________ Wildlife photographed in the wild. http://www.tomreichner.com/Wildlife “There are no bad pictures; that's just how your face looks sometimes.” ― Abraham Lincoln

26th of April 2009 (Sun)	#6
gasrocks Cream of the Crop Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Portage, Wisconsin USA Posts: 12,517	Re: Yes, Another DUCK! Can anyone explain why the head looks blue? Mallards freely mate with many different ducks - especially domestic varieties. I have been told that there are a few Mallards with blue heads out there. __________________ GEAR LIST http://photography-on-the.net/forum/...&postcount=842

27th of April 2009 (Mon)	#7
res Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Central Michigan Posts: 752 IMAGE EDITING OK	Re: Yes, Another DUCK! Can anyone explain why the head looks blue? It is most likely light reflection. I was watching a couple just a couple of days ago after seeing this thread and I looked at the shoreline of a lake I was passing and there was a blue headed mallard. I stopped and it suddenly changed direction and his head was green. I am trying to remember but I do believe he was heavily back lit just like yours. When the light hit directly, it was green. Rick

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