SEPARATION IN THE FRAME

Trumpeter Swans, Mill Creek Ponds, Eastern Iowa

My last visit at the Mill Creek Ponds between La Motte and Bellevue, Iowa was May 21st, 2017, and at that time the Trumpeter Swans were still sitting on the nest. It is hard to believe how fast their five (yes, 5!!) cygnets have grown up to almost adult size. Sure, I have some pictures that show the whole family of seven swans but I like the intimacy of this photo the best. It seemed that the most difficult part today was not light, contrast, or too much distance, but separating the birds from each other in the frame, without cutting off body parts of another swan in the background or at the edge of the photo.

SEVEN, ALIVE AND WELL

Trumpeter Swans, Green Island Wetlands, Iowa

Just minutes before I had my encounter with the four young raccoons (see the blog post from yesterday), I finally found the pair of Trumpeter Swans with their offspring I showed you on May 21st. All seven cygnets were still alive and well. I thought immediately that the story in this picture only works if I have all seven in the frame. They were right beside the road and in order to get them all in the picture I shot with the shortest focal length the SIGMA 150-600 offers. This was only possible at the moment just before the whole family entered the water.

SEVEN CYGNETS

Trumpeter Swans, Mississippi River, Green Island Wetlands, Iowa ----------    

As the long time reader of my blog may remember, I have watched and photographed swans here in eastern Iowa since 8 years, but I don’t think I ever have been so close to a family of Trumpeter Swans. Seven little cygnets were guarded by their parents today in the Green Island Wetlands. I’m not sure if this muskrat mound at the shore of one of the canals was the actual nest site, because I don’t remember seeing any swans there a week ago during my last visit. At our arrival the whole family preened their feathers, probably getting ready for a little “Sunday cruise”. Indeed, a few minutes later they all took off and swam deeper into the wetlands and out of sight.

TRUMPETER SWANS, IT'S ALL ABOUT GESTURE...

Mill Creek Ponds, Iowa, September 26, 2015

I told you yesterday I was on a “wildlife mission”. Shame on me, I have not reported about the Trumpeter Swans at Mill Creek Pond, near Bellevue, Iowa, this year until now. It doesn’t mean I wasn’t there. During my first visit on June 14, 2015 I had the pleasure and excitement to see both adults taking care of five cygnets at the nest site. I saw the first Trumpeter Swans in my life 2007 in Yellowstone National Park. I watched a pair of swans at the Mill Creek Ponds since 2010 and was able to report about a first cygnet in 2011. A year later three cygnets were raised and 2013 I was able to count two young ones. I don't made any clicks in 2014 but I believe I saw two juveniles. However, it is an ongoing story...

The shot below from back in June was not so difficult to make. We had an overcast that day and the range of light, from the white in the feathers to the black bill and feet, was within what the sensor of the camera can capture without loss of detail. I expose most of the time a little more towards the blacks for the sake of richer colors and better contrast. This is my style of photography, and not just for wildlife. Sure, we all can post process an image to death and bring more light into the darkest spot. There is nothing wrong with that as long as it doesn’t take away the focus on the subject in an image.

Mill Creek Ponds, Iowa, June 14, 2015

The first photo is from yesterday. Two juveniles resting at the north shore of the pond, and a third one was with the other adult bird just outside of the frame. Although the photo was made just about an hour before sunset, the range of light was quite a challenge. I made a lot of clicks but didn’t seem to find what goes beyond a documentary shot. First, color isn’t something in this shot that ‘makes’ the image by itself, even if I like the warm tones on the heads of the young, sleeping swans. That leaves light and gesture on the table. No doubt, there was good quality light. All what it took was exposing strictly for the highlights to keep some details in the feathers. During two hours of observation the adult swans were resting most of the time or just cleaned and greased their feathers. Yep, a little boring! I knew I had something when one of the adult birds stood up and flapped its wings. Here was suddenly the gesture that made the difference, and in combination with light and the warm colors tells the story. Yes, the swans lost two cygnets sometime between June and now, but this is not unusual. Lots of predators and other, maybe weather related circumstances are a daily struggle for the adult Trumpeter Swans. They raised three cygnets again, and this by itself is a wonderful story of bird restoration here in Iowa!!

I chose both images for today’s post for the same reason, even if they were totally different in their making. It’s the powerful message of the adult Trumpeter Swans about protecting their offspring, sent out by just their sheer presence and gesture...