bearinmybackyard
FollowI really loved the way this photo turned out, especially the water. It almost makes it look like a black and white. It was a very foggy day...
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I really loved the way this photo turned out, especially the water. It almost makes it look like a black and white. It was a very foggy day
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Awards
Fall Award 2020
Top Choice
Superb Composition
Absolute Masterpiece
Outstanding Creativity
Magnificent Capture
Exceptional Contrast
Jaw Dropping
Superior Skill
Peer Award
All Star
Great Find
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bearinmybackyard
January 23, 2014
HI LeeAnn, it was the first time I ever shot a photo on a cloudy day that didn't have rain. Winter is our rainy season. Thanks for the comment.
poksey
February 10, 2014
Nice Goldeneye shot! I can't ever seem to get a good clear one. Love the reflection!
bearinmybackyard
February 10, 2014
thanks. I'd been trying to get a good photo for quite a while with no luck. Then, the Goldeneye came close to the shore and I lucked in. I also lucked in that it was a cloudy but not rainy day, so that is why I managed to get the reflection.
bearinmybackyard
February 11, 2014
Thanks. Normally this duck tends to stay further out of my zoom range and I just lucked in that he was feeling social that day and came close to shore when some children arrived to feed the ducks.
bearinmybackyard
March 05, 2014
I joined the "Tip project" and the tip I would put about this photo is that to get this effect, the photo must be takes on a day that is cloudy with white clouds. I have been back and seen and photographed this goldeneye again, but haven't been able to get the same effect on days that didn't have a sky full of white cloud. Enjoy!
bearinmybackyard
July 28, 2014
Thanks. This photo , I is my favorite. I was so surprized at how well it turned out especially since this little guy doesn't like to be near the shore.
texaaronpueschel
July 27, 2014
This one gets it b/w. The contrast, the mood, clarity, and the subject come together so well. A vote getter.
bearinmybackyard
July 28, 2014
Thank you so much. I so lucked in because the day was cloudy, but not rainy which gave the photo the awesome white reflection for the water.
bearinmybackyard
February 05, 2015
I've taken sooo many photos I can't remember which files they are in. thanks for voting Kathleen
bearinmybackyard
February 05, 2015
actually, he is married but the drake had his wedding ring stashed in his pocket. lol I must be feeling better. lol
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
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Behind The Lens
Location
I took the photo at Lafarge Lake, an old quarry that had been changed into a small lake in the midst of TOWN CENTER PARK which is a municipal sports and recreation developement. The park is only 2 blocks from the Coquitlam River. Lafarge Lake is stocked with with fishTime
It was around 3:30 pm. The duck is a male Common Goldeneye Duck. Goldeneye ducks are diving ducks. They dive under the water to catch fish: unlike the Mallard and American Wigeon ducks . Usually it was very hard to get a decent photo of the Goldeneye earlier in the day because the Common Goldeneye tended to do most of their diving earlier in the afternoon. When they are hunting for fish, they tend to stay towards the middle of the lake which out of my focus range for my lens. This day I arrived much later at the lake and the male COMMON GOLDENEYE, was actually hanging around the water close to the shore, socializing with the other types of ducks. I was quite surprized to see this behaviour I thought that diving ducks stuck with their own kind, but when no other Goldeneye are around, they will socialize with the Mallards and American Wigeon. The other thing to note is that many of the diving ducks only winter at the lake and are not there during the rest of the year.Lighting
What made this photo so awesome was the weather conditions. It was a cloudy day, but not raining. The white clouds made an awesome background reflected in the water.It was almost like the male Common Goldeneye was floating in a sea of clounds. It was a great foil- the greyish white of the clouds contrasting with the pure white of the duck's feathers. It really made the black markings on the duck stand out.Equipment
Believe it or not, I used a Panasonic HDCAMCORDER that had some camera features that could be used for taking photos instead of videos. It allowed me to set the aperture as large as 1.8 .It also allowed me to set the speed. The main drawback was that the max jpeg size was only 2mg. I also used a monopod to steady the shot. I used a HD CAMCORDER with camera option because I had been doing a lot of wildlife videotaping and had decided that I wanted to try photography. I didn't want to buy a real camera till I was sure I would enjoy photography. I know now a NikkonInspiration
What inspired me was that this was the first time the Goldeneye was close enough to shore to be able to get a good shot. I had to carefully balance myself and the monopod on a rock that was just off the shore , which brought me even closer. I loved the effect from the cloud reflection in the water. Even more, I loved how the ripples in the water slowly changed the ducks reflection. It reminded me of a First Nation drawing style. I thought that made the shot even more beautiful. I loved how the red of the leg brought the photo and reflection together. It became the focal point and was the only "coloured" part in the whole photo.Editing
No, Mother nature created the perfect settings between the weather and water. All I had to do was take the photo and thank Mother Nature for this gift.In my camera bag
Then, it was the camcorder, lens cleaning solution, air brush, monopod, a phone along with the phone number for WILDLIFE RESCUE, scissors to free any duck tangled in fishing line or having a lure attached to the wing. hand warming pads, bandages, alcohol swabs,clear plastic bag, extra sd cards, extra battery,Feedback
The secret to this photo was the weather. I have been back many times and have photographed the Goldeneye on days with blue sky and the effect isn't the same. It is the greyish clouds reflection that creates the effect that accentuates the duck's details. Also, the angle that I took the photo - with the duck beginning to turn away from he