Trumpeter Duo
Jan, 2015Views
380
Likes
Awards
Action Award
2020 Choice Award
Top Choice
Superb Composition
Outstanding Creativity
Absolute Masterpiece
Peer Award
Superior Skill
Magnificent Capture
All Star
Genius
Top Ranks
Top 10 rank week 1
Top 10 rankTop 10 rank week 1
Top 20 rankTop 20 rank week 1
Categories
PRO+
RDVPhotography
February 19, 2015
Wonderful! You also need to enter this in contest "Two Is Better Than One"
PRO+
RDVPhotography
June 03, 2015
Ok you entered Two Is Better Than One, Vote for it and also in Feathers. Good luck in both.
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Discover more photos See all
Behind The Lens
Location
I took this shot in Vanderhoof, British Columbia, Canada. It's a small community about an hour and a half from where I live. Each year, there is a magnificent Trumpeter Swan migration, and the swans stop there along the way.Time
This shot was taken just before noon on a winter's day, March 28, 2014. It was a fairly mild day for Vanderhoof, and I was blessed with blue skies, and the lightest of winds.Lighting
As it was a winter day, the sun was not too high in the sky. Being just before noon, I managed to escape any harsh light. As they swooped in and around coming in for their landing, I was blessed by catching the glint of the sun off their wings.Equipment
I used a Canon 7D, with a 100-400mm 4.5-5.6 IS USM lens. For the purpose of this picture, to be able to pan and take shots, I hand held my camera.Inspiration
The Trumpeter Swan migration in Vanderhoof is something that one must see to appreciate. Hundreds, if not thousands of these beautiful birds make their way there. Two locations in particular are ones which draw my attention - one at the riverbank, and the other, where this shot was taken, in a big farmer's field. The sight of so many birds, in one place, creating such a racket (and a stench too) is stunning! Having done this several years with a photo buddy, I cannot let a single migration pass without taking the time to go watch. The beauty and the majestic nature of these birds is an invitation any nature lover cannot pass up. My aim is to catch that perfect shot!Editing
I shoot in RAW, I do a little post processing. For this shot, I lightened the picture a little, adjusted contrast a tad as well. I also do lens correction to remove any distortions on the edges. And, lastly, I did crop the image to remove some distracting features in the background.In my camera bag
The bag is getting heavy! On a typical day, opening it will reveal my 100-400mm, my 18-200mm 3.5-5.6, 50mm 2.8 and lastly, my 100mm 2.8. I don't ever want to be out and not have just the perfect lens for what I see. Toss in some filters - circular polarizing and UV. You'll find a few flashes in the bag as well - a speedlite and a ring flash. Also, there's extra batteries (for the camera and the flashes,) extra memory cards, cleaning equipment for the lenses, soft cloth for when the weather has not been very cooperative.Feedback
When looking to take shots of birds - plan, plan plan. If it is migrating birds, be sure to know the approximate dates of when they migrate, and allow for time on either side of those dates in case they are early or late. I phone the visitor information center to find out if they've been around as well as check the facebook page for the city to see if people are talking. This migration is a big thing there. Don't forget the extra batteries and memory cards, and be prepared to take hundreds of pictures. For every good picture I took, I took hundreds of awful ones. Check the weather, and dress appropriately. Be patient and watch for the birds. Try to determine their flight paths. In this case, the Trumpeter Swans tend to come in from the same direction each time. Be aware of your background as it can make or break your shot. Try to capture images from several different vantage points, being aware of where the sun is, how high it is, where the birds are coming from. A high shutter speed, higher than normal ISO so you can have that shutter speed higher. Patience. Lots of patience!
