Mandarin Duck

[olyrhc]

This is an older picture I took with my Olympus E-400 and the 40-150mm kit lens when I was on vacation in Vienna. It's a male mandarin duck, swimming in a pond in one of citys beautiful parks.

[Pops]

A beautiful chap indeed.
My opinion is that maybe it needs brightening a touch and given a tighter crop. Looks a bit lost in all that space.

[Ian]

Originally Posted by olyrhc

This is an older picture I took with my Olympus E-400 and the 40-150mm kit lens when I was on vacation in Vienna. It's a male mandarin duck, swimming in a pond in one of citys beautiful parks.

These are remarkable looking birds . Do you know if they are introduced or even exhibited (like in a zoo) or wild?

It's a shame it appears that you had an overcast day that subdues the colours.

Ian

[olyrhc]

Originally Posted by Ian

These are remarkable looking birds . Do you know if they are introduced or even exhibited (like in a zoo) or wild?

It's a shame it appears that you had an overcast day that subdues the colours.

I think they are introduced to some european countries. They seemed to roam free in the park where I saw them and there weren't any fences to keep them there.

You're correct, it was an overcast day with some light rainshowers.. it would have been ideal to have good daylight but since I only had the cameras built-in flash and I shot the picture from a distance, it makes the ducks colours appear a bit dull.

[fluffy penguin]

wow he is a wonderful chap.
agree with the others a bit of cropping would make hime stand out a bit more.

are the females so bright aswell?

Fp

[Ian]

Originally Posted by olyrhc

I think they are introduced to some european countries. They seemed to roam free in the park where I saw them and there weren't any fences to keep them there.

You're correct, it was an overcast day with some light rainshowers.. it would have been ideal to have good daylight but since I only had the cameras built-in flash and I shot the picture from a distance, it makes the ducks colours appear a bit dull.

Use of flash when photographing birds and other wildlife - that's a very good point; many pro wildlife photographers use flash in certain circumstances and is worth a try if lighting is not ideal.

In this case, though, as you were using what is, in effect, a 300mm lens, the built in flash of your camera may not have been powerful enough to be of much help?

Ian

Poor lighting can be compensated for with a little tweaking. Here's a quickie.

[olyrhc]

Originally Posted by fluffy penguin

are the females so bright aswell?

No, the females look more like ordinary ducks.. they have a light brownish colour.

Originally Posted by Ian

Use of flash when photographing birds and other wildlife - that's a very good point; many pro wildlife photographers use flash in certain circumstances and is worth a try if lighting is not ideal.

In this case, though, as you were using what is, in effect, a 300mm lens, the built in flash of your camera may not have been powerful enough to be of much help?

yes, it may not have been very effective but it did help bring out the colours slightly and it also put a nice little twinkle in his eye... It would have been better to use an external flash-device... that's probably a good future investment for me.

I usually only shoot pictures when there's plenty of sunlight.. but this was a vacation-picture and I naturally brought my camera along despite the poor weather..