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Thread: Mute Swan

  1. #1
    BPN Member William Dickson's Avatar
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    Default Mute Swan

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    Canon 1DX
    f/4 500mm with 1.4
    f/8
    1/4000
    ISO 640

    This is one from my hide on the loch side. Captured late evening, when the light was filtering through the trees surrounding the loch. The swan was protecting its cygnets from other birds coming too close.

    Will

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    Lifetime Member Stu Bowie's Avatar
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    Hi Will, a study of white on black. The swan pops so well against the darker BG, and the flapping wings add to the dramatic contrast. I like the inclusion of the partial reflection.

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    BPN Member William Dickson's Avatar
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    Thanks for that Stu. Not the rarest of subjects, but I liked the contrast between white and dark here.

    Will

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    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
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    Hi Will, like the contrasting light here, but go a bit more dramatic and get more of the darks in the black here so it pushes the lovely whites of the subject. Watch your sharpening on the water, it can look over sharp, so perhaps vary the opacity or amount? You may find having more DoF works too, i.e. f/11, certainly here you had truck loads of ISO and nothing to loose. Nice POV, but any more to the RHS???

    TFS
    Steve
    PS Good to see an over looked species posted.

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    I like that pose, William. You have manage to tame both the whites and the sharpening on the water drops and it has a really dynamic feel to it.
    Personally I think having the faintest detail in the background works well.

  6. #6
    BPN Member William Dickson's Avatar
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    Hi Steve, thanks for that. I was in the hide waiting for the KF to arrive, and this Swan started attacking a few Geese. Really fast action, moving about, on the loch, I just fired off a few shots whilst trying to keep up with it. I have it better on other frames, but OOF birds and branches in front of it. This was the only 'clean' shot I managed. I now wished I had gone f/11 at the time, but happened so quickly, and wasn't quite prepared for it. Where my hide is situated, I have lots of old branches, in front of me, half submerged, this makes for great perches for the KF. The downside is, my window, for birds on the loch is limited.

    Will

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    BPN Member William Dickson's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mike Hitchen View Post
    I like that pose, William. You have manage to tame both the whites and the sharpening on the water drops and it has a really dynamic feel to it.
    Personally I think having the faintest detail in the background works well.
    Thanks for that Mike

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    Very dynamic image, nice whites and water spray. Thank you for posting, Will.
    Joe Przybyla

    "Sometimes I do get to places just as God is ready to have somebody click the shutter"... Ansel Adams

    www.amazinglight.smugmug.com

  9. #9
    BPN Member William Dickson's Avatar
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    Thanks Joe, much appreciated.

    Will

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    I like this one Will. It is quite dramtic with the wing pose and water spraying. The whites look controlled and detailed throughout. The dark bg definitely works here.

  11. #11
    BPN Member William Dickson's Avatar
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    Thanks for that John

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