Trumpeter Swan Monitcello MN

[Jon Sostarich]

Canon 1D Mark II, 500mm f/4L IS + 1.4X II TC, 1/1000sec f/8.0 Evaluative metering -0.33 Stop, ISO 400, shot on tripod with Wimberley II Head

There is a women in Monticello MN that feeds 2,000 plus Trumpeter Swans a day in the winter time(20+ years). Picture was taken from viewing station. The only place to take pictures is from the viewing station, the rest of the land next to the viewing station is private property.

For more information search for: Monticello MN Trumpeter Swans

[Maxis Gamez]

Hi Jon,

Lovely wing position. You did well with the exposure and composition.

[Alfred Forns]

Big Welcome Jon !!!! Love the wing position and light angle Good reproduction for the whites Would only crop from the bottom I think it will give a better ratio Also an extra usm pass I like this a lot !!!! Did you also get him landing!!

[Linda Robbins]

Lovely flight image....those huge splayed feet are great! Nice light and good exposure and composition. Thank you for the information on Monticello!

[Arthur Morris]

Love the pose and the head and wing postion, and the whites look great. I would definitely try to do something witht the background by toning it down or de-saturating it a bit. It look way funky from here...

later and love, artie

[sandy richards]

Here is the monticello lady's story:

http://www.monticellochamber.com/PDF/SwansLawrence.PDF

And general info on the swans: http://www.monticellochamber.com/Swans.cfm

Sandy R

[Jon Sostarich]

I agree with Arthur Morris, water should not glow. I reworked the image and applied a layer mask to the swan using Quick masks. Now my levels and curves adjustments are only being applied to the swan and not to the water.

In order to feed the large quantity of swans the women in Monticello has got her feeding system down to a science. She has a large farmers corn truck(corn crib) parked in her front driveway. The local grain elevator comes with a grain truck and pumps bushels of corn into the corn crib. She uses 6” plumping pipe to go from the corn crib to the river in her back yard. The pluming pipe has an ager in it and the corn is pumped to the river. At the river she uses four 30 gallon Rubber Maid tubs, which get filled every day. The city on Monticello MN supports her and has helped build the viewing station,

[Del Cockroft]

The second image is a huge improvement. Good exposure on the whites. Nice picture.

[Arthur Morris]

Well done Jon. Th re-post is much more natural.

later and love, artie