Nesting Swans in Plymouth, Ma., USA

NancyMoranG · May 6, 2014

Found this pair and would like some critique as I want to get a "family" shot when the eggs hatch! It was a cloudy day which had a hazy, fog coming when I was there about 4 pm. ( ahh New England spring weather!)

1- He fluffed himself due to geese encroaching the area.

Swans at nest and ruffled by Nancy Moran G, on Flickr

2- Let's tidy up a bit while I am up...

swans in nest by Nancy Moran G, on Flickr

3- Liked his reflection in the reddish coloring of water.

Swan single by Nancy Moran G, on Flickr

Am new to PSE 11 and have no other pp experience. 1 of them has alittle different hue/coloring (?) which I probably did in pp. If you could comment on them as single photos, not just that 1 is a different shading.
All hand held with my only zoom lens 55-300. Nikon D7000.
Thank you in advance,
Nancy

Raj_55555 · May 6, 2014

The pics are insanely small, some people may not have the time to go to your flickr. I think you have some great shots in your flickr account and TBH I don't feel these pics do justice to your skills, not by your standards. I mean these are nice, but that's just it. The last one is a nice shot with a distracting background. The other two are just not interesting enough for me, again I'm judging this by the standards of your other pics.

I know it's not great critique, but I'm still a noob

baturn · May 6, 2014

I like them. They show swans doing what swans do, where swans do it.

NancyMoranG · May 6, 2014

Raj, thanks for taking the time to comment and being honest. You made my day with the compliment

Since Flickr changed 'for the better ", I don"t know how to get the photos to the right size when posting!! Maybe I will rethink this shoot.

Baturn, yes they were doing it right. He (?) would get very aggressive and protective of anything swimming by. And although, I was a distance away, he swam right up to my shoreline, almost saying, "ok, enough".
Nancy

BillM · May 9, 2014

Nice shots Nancy, lots of nice places to shoot in Plymouth :thumbup:

nzmacro · May 9, 2014

Love that first shot Nancy, great looking couple they make. So the little ones shortly I take it, be nice to see.

All the best Nancy.

Danny.

Raj_55555 · May 9, 2014

NancyMoranG said:
Raj, thanks for taking the time to comment and being honest. You made my day with the compliment Since Flickr changed 'for the better ", I don"t know how to get the photos to the right size when posting!! Maybe I will rethink this shoot.

You're most welcome Nancy

DarkShadow · May 9, 2014

Swans can be aggressive,especially during nesting.I watch them pick on the Canada goose where I go birding and they chase them right out of the pond.They do all that hissing sound when they are in defense mode.

Civchic · May 9, 2014

DarkShadow said:
Swans can be aggressive,especially during nesting.I watch them pick on the Canada goose where I go birding and they chase them right out of the pond.They do all that hissing sound when they are in defense mode.

I was nearly knocked out of a canoe by a nesting swan, when I came around a bend and surprised him. Hell hath no fury like an upset Daddy swan. Also, I'd never paddled so fast in my life.

MSnowy · May 9, 2014

Nice set Nancy. Some great detail in the feathers. Swans are like gulls, mallards and most backyard birds, people see so many pictures of them they aren't that impressed. You take and replace the swans in that same nest and setting with eagles or ospreys and people would be all over them. Hopefully the little ones will be there soon.