Tundra Swans

Gallery: AvianPosted February 28, 201491 views8 comments

Another from my trip to the Klamath Valley last week. I happened on a pretty decent sized group of these just as they were starting to relocate for the evening. I was able to get in a reasonable position while there were still several dozen left and they gave me some decent shots, though I would have liked it if their trajectory had been about ten degrees to their left. They were leaving so quickly that I didn't dare take time to try relocating.

1Div, 500mm f4 ISL + 1.4TC. I believe I got the camera on a tripod for this these. f5.6, 1/5000, iso 500, Av mode with -1/3 compensation. Processed in LR5 & CS6. Straightened the image a trifle, took just a bit off the right, a tiny bit off the top and the rest off the bottom to create the pano format. Taken at 4:06 pm on February 20th. Lower Klamath Refuge auto tour route.

Your comments and criticisms are most appreciated.

Thanks for looking,

Comments

8 comments

Comment posted by Robert Bunch on February 28, 2014 at 11:36 PM

Nice take-off shot. I like the pano crop and also that one bird has wings up and the other has wings down.

Registered on May 18, 2004, 124 Posts, 2503 Comments

Comment posted by Rob Drummond on March 1, 2014 at 2:01 AM

Really like the way you've framed this Dennis - great setting and both birds with good poses

Registered on November 8, 2003, 617 Posts, 8267 Comments

Comment posted by Rick Cloran on March 1, 2014 at 10:39 AM

Super action. Three of the four feet out of the water on the running takeoff. Everything looks good in the larger view.

Registered on April 6, 2004, 119 Posts, 1989 Comments

Comment posted by David Haynes on March 1, 2014 at 11:10 AM

Dennis,
Beautiful pano shot with gorgeous light. That 10 degree turn toward you would have been just killer but this is pretty awesome as is. This looks like the kind of print you can buy at Bass Pro Shops. Two very nice back to back posts from your trip.

Registered on February 20, 2010, 110 Posts, 1511 Comments

Comment posted by Hans Overduin on March 1, 2014 at 1:56 PM

Great light you had here, and I do like the composition and panoramic view. Cheers, Hans

Registered on August 31, 2011, 491 Posts, 3807 Comments

Comment posted by Jim Hansen on March 1, 2014 at 5:59 PM

Very nice image of these swans laboring to get into the air. I like the panorama format. Good exposure and handling of those whites. I like the habitat and pose. Good angle and nicely balanced.

Registered on May 5, 2011, 161 Posts, 908 Comments

Comment posted by Kurt Bowman on March 2, 2014 at 12:42 PM

Nice catch of the action Dennis. I wish they had been taking off a tiny nit more towards you, but either way still love it. I guess we can't have everything right? Unless you know how to train Swans.

Registered on June 19, 2008, 1005 Posts, 8028 Comments

Comment posted by Nick Bristol on March 2, 2014 at 5:19 PM

This is very nice, Dennis! Some wonderful light and excellent comp with this panoramic crop. I love watching Tundra Swans and photographed them quite a bit, but not much in the last 3-4 years. This makes me want to do it again. Excellent capture!

Nick Bristol
Lone Rock, WI

Registered on February 1, 2004, 752 Posts, 14140 Comments