Trumpeter Swan on frozen Mississippi

[David S.]

5D 300mm F/4 w/1.4x @ 420mm
F/5.6, 1/2000, ISO 100, -1EV

[Steve Maxson]

I like the pose with the bird sitting on the ice, David. The open bill is a plus. The exposure looks good with detail in the whites and (for the most part) shadows. Given the light angle, the image would have been even stronger, IMO, if the bird's head was turned slightly more toward you as that would have lit up the black area directly in front of the eye.

[Judd Patterson]

Steve mentions a bunch of good points. I also like that the bird is sitting on ice...unusual! I agree that the head turned slightly toward you would have lit it better and increased the impact of your image. With a lower photography angle and perhaps a position to the right you could have played with angles to reduce or nearly eliminated the long shadow...just as alternative suggestions if the bird was tolerant. Nice work David!

[David S.]

if the bird was tolerant.

This is always the biggest problem. Its' mouth is open because it was already getting nervous and honking. There was about 5 of them if I rermember correctly and the others had already started moving away.