Mute swan and some fire

A day with my son,his day a special for his birthday. Dad lugged a camera 'cause he has too. Son bless him helped the old man out as I was starting to slow a bit. As we walked a lake in the real hope of finding some deer for my lad the magic was happening. I felt beyond guilty for sneaking off,but I hope I'm forgiven,to be fair I rushed so much I forgot about the holes in me boots and both feet were sodden. My swan I talked too,sadly out loud,because swans here get fed by us humans and my bird immediately paid attention and came just that bit closer. Dubious baiting,but declared !! So here is the frame,for Mike , my son who I am so proud of and love to bits. A humble mute swan with a bit of the joy of sunset thrown in. Hand held standing as framed
Canon 1div 300f/2.8 extiii 1.4

1/400
f10
iso 2000
I was trying to get a broad dof but maybe that was a poor choice,as I say I was trying to not be selfish so was somewhat distracted. Processed in DPP4 probably too quickly as I have so little time. I rarely get to post here,which bothers me immensely. That said, despite time constraints the camera is with me when ever there is a chance and I/We are out there grafting away, trying to get images, although the post count is suffering the joy of carrying a camera and trying is my bedrock in life at this time!!

Thank you for all the help here,really THANKYOU,you guys have been with me constantly,I can hear Steve's words and Diane's Gabby's Andreas' Artie Mike ad ininitum
as I shoot,I don't measure up yet,but I really haven't stopped trying to learn

take care all


Stu

Stu, nice mood to this image, just a little nit is the water angle drops quite a bit on the left.

Regards -Tim

Cheers Tim thank so much for the reply and your time. I checked off level of the swan but feel now that was an error,folks have picked up on the same thing eslewhere . I worried that if I rotated then the fallng water droplets might seem out of kilter aswell Tim. I really struggle sometimes with what is perceived by others as level

Take care

Stu

Stu: I like this, and I know you do too because you have talked before about being an artist and capturing a mood with your pictures as much as getting all the technicals 100% correct. For me, this picture has tons of mood. This kind of pic moves me more than a technically correct portrait. But I too would think it might benefit from Tim's suggestion of changing the angle so that the water lines and ring are more horizontal -- don't worry about the vertical elements (the drops) so much.

This might be one to frame up -- call it "Fire and Swan". Well done.


Andrew

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Andrew Harrell

Stu: I like this, and I know you do too because you have talked before about being an artist and capturing a mood with your pictures as much as getting all the technicals 100% correct. For me, this picture has tons of mood. This kind of pic moves me more than a technically correct portrait. But I too would think it might benefit from Tim's suggestion of changing the angle so that the water lines and ring are more horizontal -- don't worry about the vertical elements (the drops) so much.

This might be one to frame up -- call it "Fire and Swan". Well done.



Andrew

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Andrew,I'm terribly pressed for time,but huge thanks for your thoughts,i'm very grateful The affirmation of level is great Andrew cheers for your detailed thoughts on this I really struggle with this type of situation,so the guidance is huge for me. You have read me completely correct Andrew. I'm searching for something I suppose I'm unsure of exactly what but this is towards that. I guess it will always be special to me because of the circumstances too.

The emotional quality of an image does mean so much to me Andrew ,your post is incredibly flattering for me because of this mate to take a pic and stir some feeling in another is utterly humbling. I so wanted to stay with her mate there was magic here it was very hard being selfless and walking away,these situations don't come that oft to memind I'd lug that camera for another 6 hours for that chance of minutes again,as we all would

thank you so much both for your time and thoughts

take care

Stu

Hi Stu,hope you don't mind but had a little play and just rotated it a tiny bit,looks ok to me now but see what you think,I also very much like images such as this,very artistic and perhaps not worry about the finer bits all the time.

Hope all is good with you mate.
Keith.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by keith mitchell

Hi Stu,hope you don't mind but had a little play and just rotated it a tiny bit,looks ok to me now but see what you think,I also very much like images such as this,very artistic and perhaps not worry about the finer bits all the time.

Hope all is good with you mate.
Keith.

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I'm ok I think Keith,not really sure sort of floating on doing too much, he he......I'm good buddy how are you?

Thanks for the edit Keith. Keith, the level had to happen everyone has mentioned it

Ahh mate bless you and thanks swan brighter now sharper maybe but within that what's interesting to me on a quick look is does it make the face look darker,I don't know Keith just curious as to what I saw,I am rushing a bit though ,will take stock shortly.

Keith it is interesting to me how the two things that have been mentioned are obviously the level,but also the emotional. I'm a simple guy Keith ,I don't know really if it's an arty shot,I sort of don't think that way even though i obviously paint make music make stuff ....simply, there is a magic in the light and I want to try capture it and some beasties in it,if that moves another, then hey what's not to like. Keith the nits interest me deeply if one is too learn any craft they must,but not everyone is a photographer Keith so all don't judge by that same standard. What I said to the girls as I looked at the back of the camera was really what I took from this and that is it's being able to see what the camera can do in a given senario ,knowing how it can translate light by underexposure for example seems to unlock doors to me in expressing a situation/

It's very interesting to me this type of light senario water or no the light I want to explore. I dunno about art ,but I love trying to make images at sundown also back lit,the lovely pale grey bright sky produces amazing images but i'm naturally drawn somewhere else ,not really thought about Keith just drawn that way,tis fascinating.

I've spent hours and hours learning deer but this I had too look at when we got back and it's really a product of luck.serendpity. Good or bad mine or someone else's, matters not ,tis interesting,devoid of me taking it tis something i'd like to explore more with a camera


oh i'm cool with knowing the nits Keith, always a need to be better. We must never forget the joy of all this though buddy,we are from similar backgrounds I know how important they are to you too. I fiercely want to be good at this,sharp stuff would help,but mum natures is what we are really trying to capture,it's a whole experience for me not just an image. Keith my original set with her,I stopped briefly she moved into the light, she was in the dark,I haven't got near them yet but those rays were on her framing poor,sinking in sphagum not condusive to best thinking camera practice,. But the way she turned to me when I softly said ello ol girl is as precious as the images Lovely few minutes keith and maybe my son will like, which sort of rounds off a really special day it's lovely to be gifted this........

I'm 'aving this one lol

Buddy we will take soon properly,please forgive ,I have friends here must go

take care

Stu

Stu I,m sure you and I are on the same wavelength with our thoughts on this,it's a lovely image.

Keith.