Cygnet
ne week old Cygnet taken at Mount Stewart, northern ireland
ne week old Cygnet taken at Mount Stewart, northern ireland
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May, 2017Views
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Awards
Top Shot Award 22
Legendary Award
Peer Choice Award
Winner in Wild Animal Portraits Photo Challenge
Peer Award
Absolute Masterpiece
Top Choice
Superb Composition
Outstanding Creativity
Magnificent Capture
Superior Skill
All Star
Genius
Virtuoso
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Top 30 rank week 1
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Behind The Lens
Location
The photograph was taken at the start of summer at the National Trusts Mount Stewart House, Newtownards, Co. down. It is a lovely property with the most beautiful grounds. Within the grounds there is a large lake and this is where the picture was taken. The birds on the lake are all wild birds and seem to come and go with the seasons. On many of my walks around the grounds I had noticed the swans nest and knew it was only a matter of time before I would have the opportunity to photograph the cygnets.Time
I had heard through fellow photographers that the cygnets had hatched and that I would have to wait until the following weekend before I could get down for my long awaited pics. So on the following Saturday I was up at the crack of dawn waiting for the gates to open. I managed to get to the lake at approx. 09.00hrs (an hour before the offical opening time.) This enabled me to get pretty close to the nest without disturbing the mother or the cygnets. I lay in wait for the Sun to rise above the trees to get a well lit shot.Lighting
On that morning it was a rare and beautiful blue sky and the clarity around the lake was as good as I had ever seen. I knew I was in with a good chance to catch a lovely shot. The cygnets were now ten days old and to my surprise they joined their mother for a morning swim. I think this was probably their first swim in the lake.Equipment
The picture was taken using a Nikon D800e complimented with Tameron 150 - 600mm. I took the photo hand held at 150mm if i remember correctly at f5 iso 200 and a shutter speed of 400. I was also lying on the ground to take the shot which ment the camera was well supported.Inspiration
I have always loved nature from I was a child (My father always took us out on long walks in the country) but have only taken up photography within the last three years. In that time I've met some fabulous people who have inspired me with their work and encouraged me to grow as a novice photographer. One person in-particular has taught me so much about wildlife photography is my good friend Will G. I've spent three years bending his ear and asking questions on settings lighting and every aspect of photography over and over again. he never once complained. so I would have to give Will the credit for inspiring me to be able to take such pictures as this.Editing
I like to keep editing Simple when it comes to wildlife. With this picture I cropped it to frame the bird andI brightened the photo to give it a more high key look. A touch of clarity and that is all the editing. I use Paintshop pro to edit my pictures and do not have lightroom or photoshop. The reason I use paintshop pro is because is a lot less expensive and easier to learn than the other programmes.In my camera bag
I do carry quite a lot of equipment with me. As well as the camera and lens above I normally have two further lenses with me, a Nikon 35-70mm F2.8 and a Sigma 18-35mm F4-5.6. Both for Landscapes and the odd macro shot. Oldies but goodies I reacon. Two flashes and more filters than i could ever need or use. I also carry a full size tripod and a mini tripod/grip handle.Feedback
When I take wildlife photographs I like to keep a good distance from the subjects I am shooting so as not to disturb them. This allows them to be totally relaxed and in no way bothered by my presence. A big help in doing this is having a long lens, and i would suggest as a minimum a 300mm at least. Also when shooting birds etc always try to get down to their level as this gives the birds better definition and totally changes their appearance. Wear suitable clothing to blend in with the surroundings and have plenty of patience.
