Tundra Swan Dream

[Axel Hildebrandt]

I experimented with some high key settings and liked that it is difficult to see where the wings end and the sky begins. I'm wondering if it works for you, too.

http://www.pbase.com/axelhi/image/122431800/original.jpg

1D4, 500f4, 1.4x, 1/1600s, f/8, ISO 400, manual

[Ilija Dukovski]

Yes of course, the black feet and bills are creating the comp very nicely.
The yellow on the bill also adds but it is too tiny unfortunately.
Interestingly, the bird on the right has no yellow on the bill.

[Randy Stout]

Axel:

It is rather ethereal. Also reminds me of two planes flying out of a fog bank.
Just for personal taste, I might try a version 1/3 stop brighter, might strengthen the effect.

Cheers

Randy

[Axel Hildebrandt]

Yes of course, the black feet and bills are creating the comp very nicely.
The yellow on the bill also adds but it is too tiny unfortunately.
Interestingly, the bird on the right has no yellow on the bill.

Thanks, Ilija! I think the bird on the right is a juvenile, hence no yellow spot yet. Maybe someone else can pitch in on this.

[Axel Hildebrandt]

Axel:

It is rather ethereal. Also reminds me of two planes flying out of a fog bank.
Just for personal taste, I might try a version 1/3 stop brighter, might strengthen the effect.

Cheers

Randy

Thanks, Randy! I had it brighter originally but that way I could hardly see the wings and I took the midtones to 0.9 to change this a little.

[Kaustubh Deshpande]

Axel, liked the treatment. liked the comp a lot. Like Randy, I also feel even more high key will be better. You are the master of whites....so if anyone, you can easilly pull that off.

[Steve Maxson]

I like the subtle white on white and the overall mood of this image, Axel. If it was brighter the mood would change completely - for the better or worse?? That's a matter of taste. :)

[Stu Bowie]

I like the symmetrical flight postures of the two swans. I cant comment on the yellows of the bills, as Im not familiar with this species. What I can comment on is that you have nailed the exposure, and I feel you have the light spot on. Keep as is. Well done.

[Marina Scarr]

Love this capture and the mood it portrays. The crop works very well, as does the positioning of the birds in the frame. I agree that lighter may totally change the feel but it would be fun to see and compare.

[Markus Jais]

It works very well for me! Fantastic capture. The color of the BG is a perfect match here for the wings.

Markus

[arash_hazeghi]

I would also like to see how it looks if you adjust levels so that sky is white.

[Linda Dulak]

Axel: Beautiful image of these birds. I really like the softer look because we can often hear these birds before we see them as they blend so well with the sky. As for the lack of yellow on the bill, that's rare, but not unheard of in Tundra swans. And it's not a juvenile as it's white on the head and neck. Juvies are still quite dark at this time. But watch out for trumpeters too as we've had some on the creek in front of our house. A tagged one last year was traced to an introduced colony in Ontario. There was a family of 5 here just a few days ago. They have no yellow on the bill but have a more open black area around the eye. Also, the sound is much different from the Tundras. If it sounds like a semi truck horn out there, you have a Trumpeter. There is a lot of interest in following the migration of the Trumpeters as they seem to be traveling with the Tundras and are being seen on the east coast more frequently. We've had them come here every winter for at least the past 6 years.

Linda

[Deborah Hanson]

Very serene and beautiful image.
The birds are separated just enough and I like how they are almost mirror images of each other. The absence of the yellow on the one gives a nice touch.
The whiteness of the background, as comments above, allows the mood of the photo to be very close to what one feels when viewing swans flying above them.
The wing details are, for me, just enough to see but not enough to detract from what you mentioned that you intended to do with the image. What the brain doesn't see, it sometimes fills in with more detail.

Deb