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Mute Swans in Cuyahoga Valley N.P. Ohio #30998
09/04/10 03:11 AM
09/04/10 03:11 AM
Joined: Aug 2010
USA, Ohio
Attila Kegyes Offline OP
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Attila Kegyes  Offline OP
Tracker

Joined: Aug 2010
USA, Ohio
The Cuyahoga Valley N.P. is Ohio's only national park. Small but full of regulations. And an area which yesterday still was public, today may private with "no trespassing" signs.
A few years ago in 2007 a pair of mute swan was moved in a small marsh within a park. Mute swan is not native in America, so you can't see too many. The marsh was "owned" by Canada gees, who were nesting there for years. The pair of mute swan did tried to take over some goose nest, but the goose had some other idea. There was a few days battle between the swans and the goose, but finaly the goose win the war, and the swans had to built their own nest in an other corner of the marsh. Because in this area even the native swan species are rare, the mute swans was a big attractions. Lot of people did stop to watching them and for taking pictures. So I took a few pictures of them too. Of course I'm not a "Fine Art Photographer", just a simple nobody but here is a few photo wich may be not as bad.



Tis picture was taken at spring when still was a fight between the swan an the goose. Actualy the goose is just out of the frame, and the swan is swimming after the goose, that's why this pose of the swan.
Nikon F6, Sigma 300-800 Fuji Velvia 100 f/8 1/500



I took this one at a rainy day. The water is so shallow over here, the swan actualy standing on a bottom. In other part of the marsh the water is between 2-3 feet deep.
Nikon F6 Sigma 300-800 Fuji Astia 100F f/8 1/250



An early morning shot, right during the sunrise. There's only a little sunshine shows on a reeds in a background yet. I was standing on my knee in a water to get the low angle of view.
Nikon F6 Sigma 300-800 Fuji Velvia 100 push 1EV f/5.6 1/250



And an other shot just a minute or two after the previus one.
Nikon F6 Sigma 300-800 Fuji Velvia 100 push 1EV f/5.6 1/250



The swans have laid about four - five eggs, but I saw only three hatchlings at once. A day or two later already only two were alive, and about a week later only one survived.



But this little fellow on a picture, was grew up and started to learn to fly. Also started to change the brownish feathers to white. They did tried to get ready to migrate to South, but then, a fatal flying accident happened. The young swan did flew against the powerline which runing on the edge of the marsh.
A few weeks later the parents take off at a last time from the water, and never came back.
Nikon F6 Sigma 300-800 Fuji Velvia 50 push 1EV f/6.3 1/160

In the past 40 years this was the only year when any kind of swan did show up on that area.


The pictures are originals, no cropping and no computer manipulatons on them.

Last edited by Attila Kegyes; 09/04/10 03:37 AM.
Re: Mute Swans in Cuyahoga Valley N.P. Ohio [Re: Attila Kegyes] #30999
09/04/10 09:03 AM
09/04/10 09:03 AM
Joined: Mar 2005
Florida
Jim Garvie Offline
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Jim Garvie  Offline
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Joined: Mar 2005
Florida
Atilla,

The first image is spectacular! While #2 is nice, #3 has an ethereal quality that is just lovely. The lighting in 4 and 5 is really nice and that last shot, 5, with the baby peering over mom's back is just fabulous. Great images; lovely framing; great use of selective focus and I've always wanted to see images taken with the Sigma 300-800 and these are very impressive. I've always loved that special look of Velvia.

Perhaps you don't see yourself as an "artist" but these images are quite artistic and your understanding of your subject matter is unique. It's clear you study what you shoot. Great post. I'm looking forward to seeing more.

Jim


Jim Garvie
www.jagphoto.biz
Re: Mute Swans in Cuyahoga Valley N.P. Ohio [Re: Jim Garvie] #31000
09/04/10 10:29 AM
09/04/10 10:29 AM
Joined: Feb 2005
Manhattan, New York, New York
James Morrissey Offline
I
James Morrissey  Offline
I
Carpal Tunnel

Joined: Feb 2005
Manhattan, New York, New York
Hi attilah,

Thanks for sharing these photos. I appreciate that you were in the water to get the angle you were looking for. My favorite shots are 3 and 4. The angles are spectacular, and ad Jim pointed out, there is a ethereal quality to them. I love the last one too! I did not see the baby until I read jim's comments.

My only problem with the lead in photograph is that I would like to see the full reflection. Otherwise, it is spectacular as well. Very well done.

Cheers,
James

James

Re: Mute Swans in Cuyahoga Valley N.P. Ohio [Re: James Morrissey] #31001
09/04/10 12:14 PM
09/04/10 12:14 PM
Joined: Aug 2009
CA
StarrLight Offline
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StarrLight  Offline
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Joined: Aug 2009
CA
Beautiful photos. I also love 3 and 4, gorgeous light along with the light fog.

Diana

Re: Mute Swans in Cuyahoga Valley N.P. Ohio [Re: James Morrissey] #31002
09/04/10 01:10 PM
09/04/10 01:10 PM
Joined: Aug 2010
USA, Ohio
Attila Kegyes Offline OP
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Attila Kegyes  Offline OP
Tracker

Joined: Aug 2010
USA, Ohio
Quote:

My only problem with the lead in photograph is that I would like to see the full reflection.




Hi James,
Thank you for your comment.
Yes, I agree the top of the reflection is missing, but just a little.
As you see, the wave of the water front of the swan shows it was swimming fast. Also front of the swan a goose tried get away, and I don't want it in this picture. So during the shot, I have to had to watch the left side of the frame keep the goose out, but watch for the swan, follow its motion and keep it in composition, and still keep the reflections in, on the bottom of the frame. I wasn't good enough as a photographer to do all that.

Digital photogrpahers do not worry about composition during a shot, they open the frame (if they use zoom lens) and then crop the image. That is the easy way to do. But I can't crop the slides, becaouse they are gonna falling out from the slide mounts.


I shoot on Fuji Velvia and Astia, with Nikon F6 and Pentax Z1p with Sigma zoom lenses.
Re: Mute Swans in Cuyahoga Valley N.P. Ohio [Re: StarrLight] #31003
09/04/10 01:47 PM
09/04/10 01:47 PM
Joined: Aug 2010
USA, Ohio
Attila Kegyes Offline OP
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Attila Kegyes  Offline OP
Tracker

Joined: Aug 2010
USA, Ohio
Thanks Diana.

The fourth one is one of my faworite too.

I was waiting for that shot for a few months! I saw a similar "picture" in the spring once I was there in a morning, but I wasnt in a water even I wasn't there for photographing, just for observations that time. When I saw the swan swimming in the morning mist with the morning lights, I knew it that is the picture I want! So I started to planning how can I get the photo. I want a low angle of view picture, so I needed to go into the water, but I needed some portable photoblind too, to hide, otherwise the swans not coming close enough. Set up a photoblind in a water without disturbing a still sleeping birds at a morning, way before sunrise not easy task, so I designed a photoblind which made out of a golf size umbrella, and a camo net skirt around it. I can attach it to my Wimberley head on my Gitzo tripod. Set up this blind is as fast as to open an umbrella!
But when everything was ready to go take the desired picture, the weather get warmer and wasn't any mist anymore at a morning. So I have to had waiting to the end of september, when we got cold enough nights to get a good morning mist. But also I needed a clear sky to get the sunshine too! So I was waching the forecast every evening to find a best day to go out and get the photo I wanted.
Finaly and luckily I got it and I think it is worth the effort I put into it.
Off course the photoblind was used during spring already and trought the summer too. The first picture was taken from that blind too.


I shoot on Fuji Velvia and Astia, with Nikon F6 and Pentax Z1p with Sigma zoom lenses.
Re: Mute Swans in Cuyahoga Valley N.P. Ohio [Re: Attila Kegyes] #31004
09/04/10 01:58 PM
09/04/10 01:58 PM
Joined: Apr 2006
Illinois
Peggy Sue Offline
Pooh-Bah
Peggy Sue  Offline
Pooh-Bah

Joined: Apr 2006
Illinois
You have captured some wonderful images of these birds. My favorite is #3 probably because I just came from a yoga class - LOL
Thank you for explaining since #2 was very confusing to my mind kept telling me it was sand - your perspective is wonderful!


Peggy Sue
Re: Mute Swans in Cuyahoga Valley N.P. Ohio [Re: Peggy Sue] #31005
09/04/10 02:27 PM
09/04/10 02:27 PM
Joined: Aug 2010
USA, Ohio
Attila Kegyes Offline OP
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Attila Kegyes  Offline OP
Tracker

Joined: Aug 2010
USA, Ohio
Quote:

"... #2 was very confusing to my mind kept telling me it was sand..."





Hi Peggy,

Thanks for the comment!

Oh yeh you right, as the thousands of rain drops hit the surface of the water, make it looks like a sand.


I shoot on Fuji Velvia and Astia, with Nikon F6 and Pentax Z1p with Sigma zoom lenses.
Re: Mute Swans in Cuyahoga Valley N.P. Ohio [Re: Attila Kegyes] #31006
09/04/10 02:37 PM
09/04/10 02:37 PM
Joined: Aug 2010
USA, Ohio
Attila Kegyes Offline OP
Tracker
Attila Kegyes  Offline OP
Tracker

Joined: Aug 2010
USA, Ohio
What exactly the LOL mean?

Lot Of Laugh, or Loud Of Laugh, or Laugh Out Loud?

I'm sorry, I was born and raised in Hungary - Europe, and I never study English.


I shoot on Fuji Velvia and Astia, with Nikon F6 and Pentax Z1p with Sigma zoom lenses.
Re: Mute Swans in Cuyahoga Valley N.P. Ohio [Re: Attila Kegyes] #31007
09/04/10 02:53 PM
09/04/10 02:53 PM
Joined: Jul 2009
Connecticut
Sunstruck Offline
Old hand
Sunstruck  Offline
Old hand

Joined: Jul 2009
Connecticut
Absolutely beautiful photos. I love #3 & #4. The little cygnet in the last photo is such a darling. The lighting, reflections, fog/mist are stunning.

What do you mean that today there may be No Trespassing signs? It is a NP?


Penny J. Wills
[color:"#08c3c5"]www.pennyjwillsphotography.com[/color]
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