Mandarin Duck
Sep, 2014Views
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November 06, 2014
Very interesting duck, very colorful! Thanks for joining the Birds Galore Project!
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Behind The Lens
Location
I captured this photo of a Mandarin duck in the duck pond at the Tautphaus Park Zoo in Idaho Falls, Idaho. The animals there are so used to humans that they pose for the camera frequently.Time
I took this photo on a bright and sunny September 28th, 2010 around 4PM. The zoo closed about an hour later. I was still a student photographer so capturing a shot like this was a treat.Lighting
This was taken in the harsh direct light of the September sun.Equipment
To get this shot, I hand-held a Nikon D5000 camera body and a Nikkor 70-300 mm lens.Inspiration
As a student photographer, I was out to take all sorts of new photos. I wanted a shot at "wild" animal photos. So I tried for them at the local zoo. I wandered around the various exhibits taking lots of different shots. When I came to the ducks, I knew I had plenty of light. I also loved the color of the male Mandarin ducks. This one was nicely swimming along and decided to pose for me.Editing
Thanks to the bright and harsh sunlight, many things were out of whack with this photo. The water was overly bright and the duck was overly dark. I ended up reversing the white and black in Photoshop to bring the colors back into proper balance. I also needed to do a lot of spot removal to remove dirt and water splashes.In my camera bag
I carry a Nikon D7200 rather permanently attached to a Custom Brackets Digital Pro-E flash bracket. I love the ease which this high end flash bracket allows me to switch from landscape to portrait mode on a tripod and back again. It makes life in the field so much easier for me. My go-to lenses are the Nikkor 18-55mm kit lens and a Tamron 70-300mm telephoto lens with 1:2 macro capabilities. These have served me faithfully for several years in photography. I also pack a Nikkor 50mm prime for those times when I need f/1.8 and a Nikon 60mm prime macro lens for when I want to go full blown macro on a photo. I also carry a Nikon Speedlight SB-700 for those times when natural light just isn't enough. My Hoodman hood-loupe, highly recommended by Scott Kelby, also goes with me. With it, I can see what my camera screen is showing me even in exceedingly bright light which would otherwise prevent me viewing my newly taken photos. My sling bag does get heavy with all this gear, but I know that I'm prepared for all kinds of photo opportunities.Feedback
If you hope to capture a photo of a "wild" or "exotic" animal up close and personal without serious personal risk, then the zoo is the way to go. The animals there are accustomed to humans present so they will act much more naturally than those in the actual wild. You may find that they pose for you.
