Wintering Over

Gallery: Man & NaturePosted January 21, 2011144 views6 comments

This image shows the Skagit Valley, WA State, yesterday. I managed to find a flock of about 100 or so Trumpeter Swans. The swans along with tens of thousands of Snow Geese over-winter here in this delta farmland area that is sectioned by several large rivers that empty into nearby Puget Sound.

Would appreciate to know your thoughts on my selection of settings, given the scene overall and having both stationary and flying birds.

D700, 600 mm lens array, tripod, f 8, 1/500th.

Thanks for looking and for your thoughts.

Comments

6 comments

Comment posted by Rick Lundh on January 21, 2011 at 2:06 AM

I like the combination of both sets of birds. I've not ever had the chance of shooting these, but wish I did. Not sure I'll ever have the lens for it :(

Registered on April 28, 2004, 774 Posts, 4351 Comments

Comment posted by John Tobias on January 21, 2011 at 10:11 AM

I like your shot, but if it was mine I would crop out the standing water in the FG. I think it makes the focus more on the swans. IMHO you handled the exposure well, with the swans in shadow. Thanks for sharing.

Registered on September 12, 2009, 2120 Posts, 6455 Comments

Comment posted by Dorin Bofan on January 21, 2011 at 3:19 PM

I really like, Catherine! For me, the water on the bottom creates a nice layering and color balance. Because the flying birds are going towards the bg, they don't present too much interest as the stationary ones, so your choice of focus was excellent. Just to be really picky here, I would have liked the flying geese to be a little more on the right side to create a stronger diagonal. But that's just me trying to find something wrong on a great image.

Superb!

Registered on April 30, 2007, 122 Posts, 3086 Comments

Comment posted by Merle Cook on January 21, 2011 at 5:45 PM

Great shot of a good opportunity. I agree with Dorin - crop out the standing water and it puts the emphasis on the swans. I like the comp with the oof farmhouse in the bg. It gives scale to the shot.

Registered on July 15, 2007, 27 Posts, 140 Comments

Comment posted by Catherine Reilly on January 21, 2011 at 6:45 PM

Thanks for the comments, everyone. Any further thoughts on my settings?

Dorin and Merle: You're right about the crop to exclude the fg water, and I may do that for a different version of the image that emphasizes the swans more. The reason it's in there is that the "nature" of the Skagit Valley, with the usual weather we have, is for standing water and flooding in the fields at times in the winter. That and the crop stubble, etc., seem to make swans and geese very happy. Also, because the fg was in shadow, I liked the look of the brighter water there. And I was hoping a swan would waddle closer or even better- wade in and float- and cast a reflection. Thanks for offering the good critique.

Registered on August 16, 2006, 603 Posts, 9192 Comments

Comment posted by Eva McDermott on January 21, 2011 at 7:23 PM

I like both the stationary and flying geese as well as the standing water. I wonder though whether a crop eliminating the farm house would accentuate the birds on the field. I know this is contrary to the other comments here but I think the scene is about the birds on and over the flooded field. Just my point of view.

Registered on January 4, 2009, 1015 Posts, 13229 Comments