Snow Geese: Blue and Gold Blast-Off

[Ed Erkes]

Nikon D300, 200-400 with 1.4X converter, ISO 800, 1/400s, f6.7
Warm early morning sidelight lit the background trees and created warm/cool highlight and shadow areas within the mass of geese. The wintering snow geese in Eastern North Carolina are the largest congregation of birds that I've photographed (never been to Bosque).

http://members.photoportfolios.net/ederkes

[Fabs Forns]

Nice, solid wall of birds, wish the clean edge at the bottom was a little wider or not there at all.

Incredible!!!!!

[Robert O'Toole]

Agree with fabs on the crop.

The blast off mass is well done but the tourquise shadows are too strong. I think taking out the blue, not all but most, would really help.
This is always a problem shooting when photographing in side light and white birds.

Robert

[Kaushik Balakumar]

wow, im wondering as to how they manage sufficient space between them to flap their wings...
nature is awesome.

[Maxis Gamez]

Incredible!!

[Bill Foxworthy]

Outstanding dense group of birds. How often do you see this? Almost never.

[Glenn Bartley]

Thats a lot of geese! I wish there was a bit more room on bottom....or less....I just am not crazy about the sliver of land.

[Ed Erkes]

Appreciate the positive comments! I took quite a few images of the blast-off, but this was my favorite by far because the birds weren't cut off at the bottom of the frame and (visible on a decent print) most of the foreground lower birds are flapping their wings but their feet haven't quite lifted off the ground. It reveals that the blast-off started at the rear of the feeding geese and rolled forward. I do wish I had a wider strip of grass at the bottom, though.
Also, I was really attracted to the contrast in warm/cool colors in the highlight/shadow areas of the mass of geese (hence the name "Blue and Gold Bast-Off"}. I personally think correcting the shadow colors would decrease image impact.

[geothomas]

I love images like this. Outside the box is so refreshing. I agree with Fabs about removing the line of green at the bottom.

[Robert O'Toole]

Also, I was really attracted to the contrast in warm/cool colors in the highlight/shadow areas of the mass of geese (hence the name "Blue and Gold Bast-Off"}. I personally think correcting the shadow colors would decrease image impact.

Everyone has different tastes and that is always a good thing, anyway thanks for sharing Ed.

Robert

[sallie perraglia]

Very nice - I like the strong color. Where at in Eastern NC? My grandmother lives near Knott's Island? When I was down in January I could see the swans and snow geese in the ponds of Mackey Island, but couldn't get close.