The Swans of Lakeland

The city where I live, Lakeland, Florida, has chosen the swan as a symbol. As the name suggests there are many lakes. Yesterday my wife and I went to Lake Morton to photograph the swans and other waterfowl. Most of the swans are white Mute Swans but many years ago Australia gave the city a pair of black swans that have multiplied and now inhabit many lakes. C&C welcomed and appreciated. Thank you for viewing.

Mute Swans

#1

http://i48.tinypic.com/1izg2x.jpg

#2

http://i48.tinypic.com/a4vdib.jpg

Black Swans

#1

http://i49.tinypic.com/wvv3wl.jpg

#2

http://i45.tinypic.com/2l9th0x.jpg

Wow, Joe, the feather detail in the blacks is amazing. I like the poses in both but do you have any room to give more space at the top of #3? I get the impression he's ducking because the ceiling is too low! :D Obviously a matter of personal preference.

Joe,
:):) hope that this conveys what I feel about these.
With the pictures you have posted recently and the high standards of your posts, I'm going to call you the 'Bird man' and I mean this in a good way.
Thanks for sharing
Cheers
John

Joe I really like this series, the similarities yet contrasts really work well. 3 is one beautiful image ! :)

Nice work Joe, I do think the first of the black swan images eeks out an edge above the rest. Quite an edge really, it is a very nice image.

Nice job with both the whites and blacks.

Excellent work Birdman. Good nick. :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by terrib

Wow, Joe, the feather detail in the blacks is amazing. I like the poses in both but do you have any room to give more space at the top of #3? I get the impression he's ducking because the ceiling is too low! :D Obviously a matter of personal preference.

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Thanks Terri, your suggestion is spot on. Good eye picking that up. Here is the swan hopefully not ducking it's head.

http://i47.tinypic.com/dourlw.jpg

Quote:

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Originally Posted by JPS

Joe,
:):) hope that this conveys what I feel about these.
With the pictures you have posted recently and the high standards of your posts, I'm going to call you the 'Bird man' and I mean this in a good way.
Thanks for sharing
Cheers
John

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Thanks John, your comments are always appreciated. Smiles... Birdman, I like that. I try to photograph my birds to show the beauty, grace and majesty to those who may not have the oppurtunities I have where I live.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jamn4ex

Joe I really like this series, the similarities yet contrasts really work well. 3 is one beautiful image ! :)

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Thank you James, very much appreciated.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jeeperman

Nice work Joe, I do think the first of the black swan images eeks out an edge above the rest. Quite an edge really, it is a very nice image.

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Thanks Paul, from the birds you capture that is quite a compliment.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by NorthernFocus

Nice job with both the whites and blacks.

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Thanks Dan, very much appreciated. In Florida I get a lot of experience and practice shooting birds with white, but black is another story. The previous day I captured a Black Vulture for practice with black knowing I would be shooting the Black Swan.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bobobird

Excellent work Birdman. Good nick. :)

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Thanks Bobo, very much appreciated.

Very nice pictures. I'd never seen a black swan up close before. Beautiful ! The more I see everyones' pics the more control I want with the camera I use & the less control I see that i have with my automatic everything camera.
Thanx for sharing,

diane

Very nice shots as usual Joe. I don't mean to "hi-jack" your thread but you mentioned black swans from Australia and I thought maybe these were related ! This shot was taken in the Melbourne Botanic gardens last October.

Dave

http://i49.tinypic.com/2cqkvph.jpg