‘A gentle swim’
Mandarin Duck (Aix Galericulata)
The Mandarin Duck, One of the few species of Duck that I particular have a passion for, mainly due to the colourat...
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Mandarin Duck (Aix Galericulata)
The Mandarin Duck, One of the few species of Duck that I particular have a passion for, mainly due to the colouration of the feathers all over the body of the animal.
Also the Mandarin is a fun species to photograph mainly for the colour of the feathers as well as the Duck's behaviour when it "grooms-Baths" and makes a huge scene of splashing water and diving under water and pruning it's feathers!
Read less
The Mandarin Duck, One of the few species of Duck that I particular have a passion for, mainly due to the colouration of the feathers all over the body of the animal.
Also the Mandarin is a fun species to photograph mainly for the colour of the feathers as well as the Duck's behaviour when it "grooms-Baths" and makes a huge scene of splashing water and diving under water and pruning it's feathers!
Read less
Feb, 2018Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken at the Thrigby Hall Wildlife Gardens Zoo in the United Kingdom which happens to be one of my all time favourite zoo's I have visited due to the wide variety of photographic opportunities in the Zoo and the wide range of species that can be found throughout the Park.Time
This photo is one of my all time favourites due to the fact that in my opinion the Mandarin Duck is a fantastic and interesting species to photograph due to the wide variety of colours that the bird exhibits on the feathers. I remember this day was a very bright, sunny day and the sun was in the middle of the sky however was not extremely hot. The birds were gracefully paddling down the pond section at the Zoo when one took an interest in the Camera, due to needing a fast shutter speed a tripod was not needed. I rested the camera down on the edge of the pond where, luckily it was not wet and allowed for a great opportunity to photograph these ducks at eye level. The photo was taken at mid day when most of the ducks were cooling down in the pond.Lighting
I wanted to capture the shine on the ducks back and therefore I went for a all natural lighting which allowed me to capture the duck in natural colour without the reflection of the flash or artificial lighting in the water, this therefore allowed me also to experiment with the camera settings.Equipment
For this photo, I used a Canon Eos Rebel T3 (1100D), a 18-55mm kit lens and a protective 58mm filter. No other equipment was needed.Inspiration
I was looking to capture some unusual images during my visit to the Zoo, not only of the Ducks but of some other species that were housed at the Park also. I decided to try for some low angle shots of the ducks as you commonly see photos taken from above the duck. I set out that day with the aims to get some fantastic images that were more unique than others with the hopes of getting that one shot that stood above the others. The idea that inspired me most was the idea of capturing animals in a new light and in more unusual angles.Editing
This photo was not edited in any wayIn my camera bag
I normally carry a Canon 1100D Body, however recently (February 2018) I upgraded to the Canon 200D body. Another piece of kit I carry is a standard 18-55mm kit lens, which is one of my favourite lenses due to the compact and light weight build, this lens I also tend to use with the Macro filter kit that contains the 10+, 4+, 2+ and 1+ Macro Filters. Next I tend to carry a Tamron 70-300mm lens with a Macro feature for those up-close photo opportunities and is one of my most used telephoto lenses. Finally I also carry a few extra batteries, a couple of memory cards and a wide angle attachment for the 18-55mm lens.Feedback
For me, photography is about seeing the world and everything in it in a different way and light than people who are not photographers, by this I mean that anything from a simple piece of paper and a pen to a magnificent building can be a inspiring and jaw dropping capture. I tend to shoot for angles that are uncommon and commonly overlooked or "forgotten" about. Another tip is to shoot what you enjoy, don't be a sheep and follow the crowd, capture images of things that inspire you to keep on taking photos and gives you a feeling of wanting to improve and not give up. Often the best photos come from the mind and the heart but not following the crowd.
