mandarin duck
Dec, 2020Views
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Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Behind The Lens
Location
I took this shot in Battersea Park in London as I was going for a walk with two of my friends.Time
I think it was around midday.Lighting
I honestly didn't think about it much. It was outside and when I saw the duck, I just got as close as I could to take the shot. So it was just using the outdoors/natural daytime lighting.Equipment
I was using my Canon 5d Mark iii with a 50mm lens.Inspiration
Honestly, just being out in nature. I was just walking around in the park and it was also the first time I've ever seen a mandarin duck. So I think I was just captivated by the colours and the fact that this duck looked so serene/gentle and yet had this strong presence as it was standing by the water (as corny as that sounds). So yea, the colours and the look of the mandarin duck captivated and inspired me the most I would say. It's a beautiful combination of colours and it's a beautiful bird. Nature is pretty amazing.Editing
Yea I just did a little bit of colour/lighting adjustments in Lightroom as well as sharpening the image just a tiny bit.In my camera bag
I try to keep it simple so I normally just have my Canon 5d Mark iii with a 50mm lens. Sometimes I'll bring a zoom lens as well just in case but that's about it. I try to keep it light.Feedback
I'm not sure if I can give any proper in in regards to capturing anything similar aside from just being present and staying aware/observant to your environment. Also, when getting close to animals I guess it's good to take it slow and not to rush the shot so the animal won't get startled or scared. It's a an interesting thing with animals and nature in general, I found that if you're careful and gentle then there is some sort of trust that certain animals will exhibit towards you. It's almost like some weird connection in a way. This mandarin duck allowed me to get really close and it pretty much just stood there posing a bit until I finished taking a few shots. I think sometimes when you're not looking to capture something and you're just enjoying the moment (such as just going for a walk) then suddenly something interesting or beautiful might appear. I think photography just taught me to be more present and attentive to my immediate environment. So yea, that's about it I guess.
