Wood Duck

[Ryan Schain]

Male Wood Duck flying along the snowy banks of a river in Boston, Massachusetts. This is my first time trying a sort of panning shot. I decided since it was my first time I wouldn't go with a crazy slow shutter speed, and start with 1/250 (usually I try to shoot BIF at 1/500 or faster).

Canon EOS 7D
Canon EF 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 L IS

1/250
Aperture: f/6.3
400 mm
ISO 640
+1/3 EV

[DustinFinn]

Interesting attempt, but I think what makes most "panning" photos is that the background gives the frame of reference for speed and blur.

Here the white snow blown out doesn' give that effect but the blur in the wings provides some sense of motion.
It's also hard to tell, but the eye and body look a little soft.

Nice work getting the wings with movement and the slight blur begins to tell the movement story.

[Christian Dionne]

As the previous reply said, the snow doesn't help giving us the effect of movement, you did a good job at panning though, I like the blurry wings and though the body is a little soft, it does not look shaken.
The shot would work much better if you had a different BG.

For a 1st it's much better than MY 1st!!!
Good 1st Ryan

[arash_hazeghi]

I like the blur in the wings conveying the sense of motion, but the rest of the bird is too soft and white BG doesn't work well with a panning shot like this. TFS