Tiny Wings
A Wood Duck duckling sits upright and flaps in Sequoia Park's duck pond.
A Wood Duck duckling sits upright and flaps in Sequoia Park's duck pond.
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Jul, 2015Views
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Awards
Winner in Wood ducks Photo Challenge
Peer Award
Superb Composition
Top Choice
Absolute Masterpiece
All Star
Magnificent Capture
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Superior Skill
Genius
Virtuoso
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Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
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Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken in Sequoia Park in Eureka, California. One of my friends had taken a picture of a Wood Duck drake at the park's pond in late June, so I took a trip there a few days later to see if it was still around. During the intervening days, five Wood Duck ducklings had emerged from their nest in the surrounding trees and were taking shelter on the pond's island.Time
This shot was taken in the late afternoon, shortly before the sun fell behind the trees. Sequoia Park's pond is in a deep valley surrounded by tall redwoods, so there's a very short window of soft afternoon light before the trees cast their shadow over the pond.Lighting
This was taken in natural light. The ducklings timed their feeding session just right to catch the day's best light on the pond.Equipment
I shoot birds with a Sigma 300-800mm zoom on a Nikon D800. For this shot, I was using it handheld while lying on the ground at the edge of the pond.Inspiration
The ducklings were absolutely adorable during my first visit to the pond, so I made a trip back the next day when the weather was clearer and I had better light to work with.Editing
There are some basic color balance and contrast curve adjustments as well as a little sharpness and dodging brushed into the eye to bring it out as a focal point. It needed a little straightening too, since the gaps in the fence were barely big enough to fit my lens through and it was difficult to pan with a subject without skewing the lens.In my camera bag
For shooting birds, I normally carry a Sigma 300-800mm zoom and Nikon D800 on a Joby sling strap.Feedback
For most of my Wood Duck shots, I timed my trip to take advantage of the softer late afternoon light, then waited at a spot where I could hold my lens low to the water at the pond's edge with the light more or less at my back. Like with most wildlife, waiting quietly for your subject to approach will usually get you a closer view of ducks than trying to go where they are.
