Surf Scoter

I have several portraits of this bizarrely-beautiful bird, but none combine eye contact, exposure, and detail as well as this example. Surf Scoters generally prefer large bodies of water which keep them out of photo range, so I was stoked to float right up to this striking male in my inflatable kayak. I dialed down from f/5.6 to f/8 to combat compressed depth-of-field in this instance; that allowed me to maintain focus across the face and neck at such close range.

Pillar Point Harbor, San Mateo County, California, 2/4/21
Canon 400mm f/4 DO IS II + 1.4x III on EOS 1DX Mark II
1/2500 at f/8, ISO 800.