Trumpeter Swanns

[Dave Leroy]

This was taken a couple weeks ago early one foggy morning. I straightened and took a bit off the left. Also a reed was removed in front of the smaller swan where the two stems are sticking up. 50D, 500mm at f/4, 1/90, ISO 400, EC+2. Dave

[Bruce Enns]

Hi Dave, I really like the mood of this one, with the golden light on the long necks, and the low angle. Is it possible to get any more detail in the bills and eyes? The catchlights in the eyes look a bit strange to me, are they natural? I would remove the reflection of the reed that you removed as well.

Cheers!
Bruce

[Juan Aragonés]

Superb image Dave. I can´t take my eyes out of those fantastic golden colours in the neck of the swams, the straight and identical pose of the necks and the beautifull balance between blues and golden. I also like the dead reeds and the soft gradation between the water and the sky. It is a bit oversharpened in some areas like the heads and necks and it is a bit tight at the bottom but I wouldn´t mind to hand a big print of this one in my walls. Congratulations :)

[john jackson]

Nice to see swans looking a bit mucky instead of the usual gleaming white. I think if it were my image, I would try it more high key. The eyes do look a little odd. Great atmosphere.

[Dave Leroy]

Thanks guys for the really good comments and suggestions. Darn that shadow of the removed reed. I needed to have picked that up. As far as catch lights, the closest bird had one and so I have not done anything to it, and I added a similiar catch light to the other.
They are fun and interesting birds to watch as they mingle in large groups socializing and feeding. They sort of sound like a kids trumpet section warming up!:)
Again, thanks for taking the time. Dave

[Jackie Schuknecht]

The light is really nice in this Dave and nice parallel poses. Think the head/neck area looks a bit oversharpened. Nice overall feel IMO.

[Steve Canuel]

Nice mood and surroundings. I might try a little off the top.