This Could be My Best Shot of 2012

I think I’ve made it clear that I can’t decide what was my “best” picture of the year or even my favorite picture of the year because so many factors play a part in making that decision.

However, if I were going to enter a single picture in a photo contest, I think it would be this one of a male Red-Breasted Merganser taking off.

Red-Breasted Merganser taking off

A male Red-Breasted Merganser in full breeding colors is, in my opinion, one of the most spectacular ducks. The shot captures an explosive moment. Even in full sunshine with an extremely fast shutter speed, parts of the picture are blurred — suggesting the actual speed of its takeoff. In reality, the bird wasn’t nearly a clear as this picture is. I suspect that if I were making an 8×10 or larger I would leave more space to the right instead of framing it the way I did, but this seems well framed to me. Finally, I love like the colors in the picture

10 thoughts on “This Could be My Best Shot of 2012”

  1. Yikes, could be, but so many of your pictures are stunning. As a non-photographer birder who lives with a photographer birder, I am remined of how little patience I have to aim, focus, futz, etc., but will spend countless hours crafting words and helping sixth graders hone their own writings. The passion for doing each is endlessly gratifying and part of the point, I guess. Happy New Year, and we hope to keep being able to read your posts and view your photos.

    1. Luckily for me I have patience with both those. Readers would probably be surprised with how much time I spend trying to make my blog entries sound smooth and natural.

  2. Sometimes I just want to look at pictures. That’s when I come to see yours. So beautiful. I wish I had a book of them. You capture something about birds that is really rare.

    1. Thanks, Anne.

      Actually there are lots of great bird photographers out there, some good friends. Hopefully each of us contributes to our readers’ love of birds and nature.

  3. Loren, thank you for these ‘best of’ posts, which I have enjoyed. You mentioned FB and I’d enjoy the opportunity to follow you there. I’ve been unable to find your FB page and so cannot send a friend request. I’m listed there under my own name. Please send a request to me, if you willing. I hope you will be. 🙂

    1. I sent “you,” at least I hope it was you, a friend request. Strange you couldn’t find me; I’m listed under loren webster. Wonder if anyone else is having problems finding me.

      I hope you’re not disappointed by how different I am on Facebook, where I mainly play Scrabble with long-time blogging friends and link to “liberal” political stories that I don’t feel quite fit in with this site, though in my early days this was seen as an “anti-war blog.” I certainly have never hidden my liberal political views.

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