Only mallards...

I'd spent the afternoon with a photo-tour group photographing snow buntings in very poor light and somewhat unsuccessfully. On the way home, the light broke a little and I suggested a quick session with Loch Morlich's resident mallards. And then those hackle-raising words: "but they're only mallards". Indifference reigned and in my view, an opportunity was lost.
You know who you are if you're viewing!!!

Canon 1dsII, 17-40mm lens, ISO50.

Peter Cairns
www.northshots.com

Brrrrr, I hope Winter is still far away
Bertl

I too have hackles that raise at times - always happy photographing "only Mallards" and this is different in approach which proves the point.

See you soon.

Mark

To be honest Pete, I get far more pleasure out of photographing a common subject because it is just that, common.
Fieldwork in finding the subject in the first place is made a lot easier, and chances are that the subject will be more used to people.

But any way, a great and different image of a common subject!

Chris.

Thats a cracker Peter, a fantastic scene and love the movement, I can just imagine them waddling on across the shot!

Cheers,

Lewis.

Nothing wrong with "only mallards" as you had proof here.
Nice shoot.

Echo Tom's word,nothing wrong with the humble mallard,well seen and exposed!


Craig
www.craigchurchill.co.uk

I do like this Peter, the motion in the mallards makes it - pity the ones at the back weren't waddling as fast!! An appropriate follow up to (I think) your thread previously about how we keep looking for new perspectives on the finite number of subjects available to us. Only comment would be that the curvature of the shore makes me feel like some clockwise rotation is needed

There is nothing wrong with "only mallards". It is a pity that common species are often overlooked and underrated, because they are just as much photogenic as the more exotic species. I guess it's only a matter of seeing it! Nice picture by the way. The movement of the mallards really adds to the shot.

I agree Peter...with my workshops i also often get..."but you have a 600mm and with my 18-55mm i can not shoot anything.. "...Well...let's just say it's a learning curve for all of us...
Love the image and the movement in the mallards!

Greetings,

Jeroen Stel

interesting shot, not 100% on it but different at least,

to play devil's advocate though i'm guessing your group was not comprised of many locals, people who probably don't often get to go to the highlands/cairngorms and what attracted them to your tour was the prospect of exciting new and uniquely highland wildlife, not to say they don't love photographing mallards at home, but most have a fairly low opinion of those who go to other countries and insist on british cuisine. Just offering another opinion and certainly not mallard bashing

Julian/Jack

Indeed you're both right. "I can photograph those at home" is something I hear often. What puzzles me though is that more often than not, the subject in question has in fact, NOT been photographed at home!

I do understand the logic to be fair but a good shot is a good shot no matter the species, no matter the location...in my view anyway.

Pete

A common species indeed but who could not want to photograph them in such a wonderful setting such as this.

Some chose not to photograph not because they were mallards, but because they were very cold and only had a 500mm lens with them so not much of a "landscape" opportunity

Give you 5 points cos it is better than the one Rob tried to convince us with. Plus the G&B chocolate we enjoyed was really nice and warming.

Hi Cheryl

And here was me bemoaning your photographic vision and all the time it was down to you being a big chocohoic wuss! There's no hope!

P