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Andre Denis
{K:66407} 2/14/2006
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Thanks Gregory,
I think the trick here was to keep the background on the dark side. It seemed to look more relaxed that way.
Andre
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Gregory McLemore
{K:35129} 2/12/2006
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Lovely capture, the composing and tones are both very pleasing.
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Andre Denis
{K:66407} 2/9/2006
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Thanks Mohamed, for your nice comment and rating!
Maybe there should be a category for Abstracts in Nature. It doesn't quite fit into the Patterns in Nature category. Did you see my earlier one of a couple of weeks ago? It is along the same lines as this one only B&W with a slightly different pose. The same thing goes for that image. It would fit just nicely into an Abstracts in Nature category.
Andre
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Andre Denis
{K:66407} 2/9/2006
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Thanks Janet,
I didn't realize I was taking my life into my hands when I took these pictures:)
I have only ever been attacked by a Red-winged Blackbird once (no harm done) when I got too close to a nest I think!
These swans are pretty use to people in the area, but I guess you never know when one might turn on you. It could be pretty embarassing :)
Andre
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Mohamed Banna
{K:34237} 2/8/2006
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this is amazing semi abstract in nature, very nice pose
great angle and compsoition
outstanding tones and very well captures
perfect black bachground
well done 7/7
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Janet B
{K:16139} 2/8/2006
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Okay, Andre, you are brave as I've only heard horror stories about these birds...mostly when they are nesting or have young, but I wouldn't get that close. I was attacked by a dumb rooster as a kid, so I just naturally keep my distance ;) Reminds me....I'm going to have to get a telephoto lens one of these days!! I would never get shots this beautiful otherwise!
And it is a gorgeous image, Andre, love the flow of the neck and how you filled the frame. They are so pretty! Glad you shared!
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Ina Nicolae
{K:44481} 2/8/2006
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Andre, I took lots of swan shots last year, here you can get swans *guaranteed* - Cheers, Ina
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Andre Denis
{K:66407} 2/8/2006
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Hi Fadel,
That's the trouble with the small thumbnails sometimes. If it can't quite be made out, people will quite often not bother to open them. And you can't blame them really. There is so much good recognizable stuff out there :)
This image was taken in pretty good light. The black background is actually dark green water that went dark like that when I started manipulating the other colours to get the most out of the feathers. I liked it dark like that much better than the dark green water.
This is one of the shots I took at the same time as the other B&W image I posted a couple of weeks ago.
Andre
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Andre Denis
{K:66407} 2/8/2006
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Thanks Ina,
The thing I am most pleased about with this comment is when you said I've managed to change a wildlife image into an artistic composition! It was my intention to do just that. Same thing goes with the first one I posted a couple of weeks ago. I was so pleased to get that EC award for that image because I really did think it was some of my best work in PS. It's nice to know some other people agree sometimes :)
We have just a few swans around here. Hundreds of geese and ducks!
When I was in Boston a couple of years ago, we were driving along by the Charles River in September and there were hundreds of swans all congregating on the shores for some reason. I think they might have been in the middle of a migration or something.
Andre
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Fadel J
{K:13974} 2/8/2006
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This is beautiful! in the thumbnail it looks like some kind of arm. I love the details and the black background, did you take this at night?
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Ina Nicolae
{K:44481} 2/7/2006
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Fantastic image of the swan, Andre! I'm really happy that you've posted this color (different) version, it's beautiful, it really shows the swan's long neck flexibility and feather details. The colors are so subtle, the whites are spot-on, and there are subtle greys and a bit of blue at the back, which adds a dreamy look turning this from a wildlife image into an artistic composition. Superb crop and great black background. If you came to Burlington, there is an area on Lake Ontario where swans winter, and there is a swan club of people who track them and feed them. You can get very close, you can almost hand feed them, they are very friendly and I think they are not just beautiful but also intelligent birds, by the way the look at you. Also, they get along with hundreds of other geese and ducks. It's a bird lovers ideal spot, I've seen many photographers there, including myself, but I found it hard to isolate them in a picture because there are surrounded by so many other birds, and are constantly sticking their head into the water. You did a wonderful job, Andre!
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Andre Denis
{K:66407} 2/7/2006
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Thanks Darlene,
As I said earlier in another reply, I think the close cropping with a bird like this works very well. Especially in this pose. It looks more graceful like this than if I were to include his feet in this shot. :)
Andre
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Andre Denis
{K:66407} 2/7/2006
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Hi Andrzej,
I think this is one that people will have trouble figuring out from the thumbnail. Once it is open and in your head... no problem!
Interesting what you say about being surprised "either way"... I have had both situations too. Sometimes we can be pleasantly surprised when we open to full size and sometimes what looked great in the thumbs can turn out not as expected.
This could be one explanation for why some images have a very small percentage of comments to views?
Andre
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Darlene Boucher
{K:15739} 2/7/2006
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Beautiful and very peaceful image Andre! Love the way you composed him, very well done my friend! Take care. Darlene
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Andrzej Pradzynski
{K:22541} 2/6/2006
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Andre, from the thumbnail perspective I had no idea what you realy presenting there, but often one may be surprised either way judging pictures based on miniatures. Interesting composition here and great deal of detais, and the scene that may be a challenge to shoot as the bird may be aware you coming closer and directing your tele on him. Great scene, Cheers, n.j
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Andre Denis
{K:66407} 2/6/2006
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Thanks Marcus,
I think the slight edge might go to the earlier B&W version, but I like this one too.
At least he wasn't in any hurry to get away like most birds :)
Andre
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Marcus Armani
{K:36599} 2/6/2006
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beautiful scene, I like the nice lighting and tones, very nice persepective of the resting swan, makes me sleepy :)
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Andre Denis
{K:66407} 2/6/2006
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Hi Ann,
Thanks for the nice comment.
I was paying attention to his eyes when I took these photos. I could tell he was watching me. He kept blinking. His eyes were very dark and I couldn't get a lot of light on them. I was happy with this result though. The first one I posted a couple of weeks ago makes the swan look a little sinister. Very happy with that one also!
Andre
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Andre Denis
{K:66407} 2/6/2006
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Thanks Ray,
I think the close crop is the only way to go with these swans in this pose. It seems to accentuate the gracefulness. If you have the whole bird in with this pose, they look a little like a X-mas goose all ready for the oven :)
Andre
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Andre Denis
{K:66407} 2/6/2006
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Hi Dave,
Thanks for the comment on this one.
It wasn't too much work. Mostly just some decision making on how I wanted the feathers to look. Too bright and you loose detail. Too Dark and you get a bit of a muddy look. It's more a matter of the level adjustment to try and bring out the best. I think you probably visited the B&W version with the slightly different pose.
Andre
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stingRay pt.4 .
{K:250401} 2/6/2006
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Great shot Andre with wonderful details in the plumage (or down) and I particularly like the crop to your finished composition. All the best to you my friend, take care....Ray
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Dave Stacey
{K:150877} 2/6/2006
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Great feather detail here, Andre! A good shot that sounds like it was a little bit of work to get!
Dave.
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Ann Nida
{K:45248} 2/6/2006
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Yes Andre...I've seen others post photos of swans sleeping this way. Geese also sleep this way but as Susie said I wouldn't trust a goose either. We have 4 of them here on the farm where I live and they are really sneaky. This swan has his eye on you so you were lucky to get this one so beautifully. Lovely curve in that nice, long, slender neck and super details in the feathers. Great work.
Cheers - Ann :)
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Andre Denis
{K:66407} 2/5/2006
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Thanks Susie,
He seemed pretty peaceful to me. But, I still didn't get too close because I didn't want him to move his neck. There were two more hanging around at the time. I've heard stories of these things getting agressive, but never seen it :)
This is the same swan that is in my previous post. The other one is a different angle and in B&W.
Andre
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Andre Denis
{K:66407} 2/5/2006
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Thanks Mervo!
It's the same swan as the one I previously posted. Different angle and in muted colour this time.
Andre
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Susie OConnor
{K:34798} 2/5/2006
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Wow good job Andre. Swans must be relatively peaceful animals? I know that you can't really trust a goose, so I'd be very leary to get this close to any fowl.  ) Pretty amazing how they are SO flexible. Nice post.
Susie
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Mervo
{K:8643} 2/5/2006
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Beautiful, very nicely exposed and presented Andre.
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Andre Denis
{K:66407} 2/5/2006
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Hi Kathy,
Most of the patience came in trying to achieve the look that I wanted in the white feathers. The earlier one that I posted a couple of weeks ago was converted to greyscale and I had the same issues with that one. (getting the white right :)
I thought it worked out pretty well in B&W and also have a version of this one like that.
I wanted to post a colour version this time.
I'm happy with the way this came out!
Andre
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Andre Denis
{K:66407} 2/5/2006
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Thanks Rashed,
I took a few different angles of this swan and decided that the best presentation was the close cropped versions.
Andre
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Kathy Hillard
{K:25721} 2/5/2006
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It sounds like this shot took a fair amount of patience to produce, Andre. Well worth it! I really like the tones, and the way that you have framed this. Nice post!
Kathy
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Rashed Abdulla
{K:163889} 2/5/2006
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very great job of a very great moment of rest for this bird you have captured my friend ,not many would have seen this is image the way you have seen it .very great expouser ,colors and details also , all of the best my friend ..
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