Swan Picture II

[garethhhhh]

What do you think about these ones.

All coments welcome, good or bad, just speak your mind:

http://www.garethhhhh.co.uk/images/young_swan.jpg
http://www.garethhhhh.co.uk/images/swan_and_duck.jpg

[Scottes]

#1, beak looks a little soft. A catchlight in the eye would be great.

#2 can't see the eye, and the cropping of the top of the head... Hmmm... I'm not sure on this.

Even still, great pictures on both!

[garethhhhh]

...A catchlight in the eye would be great.

I've brightened the eye up a bit, how's it look?

http://www.garethhhhh.co.uk/images/young_swan_2.jpg

Thanks for the comments Scott :D

[Scottes]

Still not enough catchlight.

Take that bright spot off his beak and move it to his eye. Something along that line. A catchlight can really help the look of an animal.

[garethhhhh]

I don't think I understood you the first time :oops:

Here we go:
http://www.garethhhhh.co.uk/images/young_swan_catchlight.jpg

Thanks :D

[Scottes]

That's more like it.

Now it reality it would be a whiter dot (not so green), and would be more to the right and up a bit. But basically you have the idea.

Using flash - even when you don't need it and.or it wouldn't reach - is a great way to put a catchlight in an animal's eye. The flash may be too distant to brighten the image, but if you can catch the reflection of the flash in the eyeball it's great. An eye with a catchlight looks more alive, since a dull black eye looks dead.

[Mettleh3d]

What kind of camera did you use and how close did you stand?
Wouldn't a bright flash startle the swan?
Anyways, great pics and the water beads are COOL!

[Scottes]

Wouldn't a bright flash startle the swan?

There are theories on this... Most people say that the flash does not bother the animal because it does not associate it with danger. It doesn't leave them blinded just as we aren't blinded - the short flash may leaves spots but we're not blinded.

Others do not suggest it yet show that it does no harm - if used in the correct situation. That is, don't flash an owl when it's hunting at night, and such.

Personally I lean towards the "it doesn't harm them" theory, but I'm very conscious about when I use it. I wouldn't use it on an owl at night, or on nesting parents and so on. Also I would immediately stop if I ever caused harm by using flash, or even came close to causing disturbance.

And I truly hope that never happens, but it hasn't happened yet. So far not single a bird has given any kind of indication that they've been flashed. I mean they *completely* ignore it.

[garethhhhh]

I tried using flash today, I got really close, about 10 feet (the birds are tame and used to being fed you see), and it didn't seem to bother them in the slightest.
Then again, it was only the built in flash on my 10D...

ps. the lense is a 75-300mm 4-5.6 III non IS :( , I shoot hand-held. It's a kit lense & not the best piece of equipment I own, but, it will have to do until I've saved up for the 100-400mm L...

[gvansmith]

I like the the first photo... the catch light in the eye really improves the image.