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Awards
Winner in Swans at Play Photo Challenge
Peer Award
Top Choice
Magnificent Capture
Absolute Masterpiece
Outstanding Creativity
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Behind The Lens
Location
Photo was made on the Lake Ohrid beach in front of the house where several swans often come to visit. We usually feed them, and this one tried to nibble at the camera out of pure curiosity, so...Time
11-Oct-18 15:58:29Lighting
Just the beautiful and indirect Daylight, (shade) - nothing else.Equipment
My camera to grab for such moments is an Olympus Tough (TG-2), perfectly designed for tough situations... like feeding the swans! :)Inspiration
The swans visiting us are already the second or third generation of the original pair from eight or so years back. Now we can actually call them when we see them traveling hundreds of meters out on the Lake. They'll recognise us and come to eat, and in Summertime we can en even allow ourselves to swim among them taking photos. This is something I would not recommend to anyone, especially if the pair is guarding their youngs! In short, there's plenty of inspiration in every occasion like this.Editing
Hard to remember now, but it wasn't much, bar some cropping and re-sizing for upload. You might say, it is pretty much like SOOC.In my camera bag
A standard question here gets a standard answer! I find it easier to carry a photo vest than any photo bag. So I load my photo vest with whatever I might need for my photo session, walk or trip, while my photo bags usually keep the equipment I'm not using at the moment. The vest's many pockets usually contain two cameras, spare batteries, ND and CPL filters, and one photo clamp standing in for a tripod. Recently I include a small action camera, mainly for its wide field of view and resistance to water and weather. The vest also has large-lens pockets that contain a small water bottle, sandwich, or a bar of chocolate if I plan on being out for the whole day. There is about three meters length of paracord or similar strong, thin rope, one hefty pocket knife, and a lighter. My smartphone comes along too. It has yet another spare camera, but more importantly the Spirit Level App wich I use to make the phone a perfectly horizontal surface under my camera. This is essential for panoramic sweeps. The app is free, and requires no extra permissions whatsoever. The large back pocket of the vest is reserved for a lightweight rain poncho. If the weather suddenly plays up, the poncho neatly covers all. Using the tools mentioned above, much can be improvised along the way, so that's all I need to make photos.Feedback
Be gentle while contacting swans! They seem docile and slow, but can actually be fierce if they feel they have to defend themselves - or their young. Swans are also incredibly strong, and it has been recorded that a blow of one of their wings can clean break the bones in human arm! But they are also what they appear to be - gentle and friendly, if you present yourself in the same way. You can feed them natural morsels of any kind (please do not give them junk like snacks the children eat...), and no artificially flavored garbage. The bread morsels are in summer days... during winter, give them salad and green food, especially if the waters are iced-over, and the land is covered in snow... they need yC-vitamin in those days! And if they seem agitated, keep your distance and don't force close-up photography. Otherwise, enjoy your photo session with swans!