One Flew over the Pond
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In one of my previous articles, I wrote about nature photography, suggesting that "when flies are buzzing around you, you can't expect to photograph swans."
Actually, you can.
I was absorbed in observing insects when suddenly I heard a loud "SWOOSH - SWOOSH - SWOOSH - SWOOSH - SWOOSH..." behind me. What was that? I turned toward the sound, and a large swan was flying just above the water surface around me. The noise came from its wing movements.
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I left the insects behind and turned my camera toward the big bird. There was no time to fiddle with camera settings. I knew I only had two or three seconds. So, risking a completely blurry shot (which actually happened), I tracked the swan in my viewfinder and kept pressing the shutter button.
A control question: did I capture its takeoff or landing? I'll reveal that at the end.
As the swan flew just above the water's surface, it sprayed water around itself, creating a scene reminiscent of the iconic photograph of an F-14 Tomcat fighter jet skimming over the ocean.
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It was visually and acoustically impressive. Powerful wing beats, splashing, whistling air, and water spraying. A swan can weigh around twenty-two pounds and have a wingspan of about six and a half feet. It's no lightweight, and when it moves, you definitely notice.
So what was this exactly? What did you guess? A takeoff or landing?
Actually, neither. The swan just wanted to quickly cross from one end of the pond to the other. Swimming seemed too slow, and the distance was too short for a proper flight. So it "flew" using its wings and legs, barely lifting off the water's surface.
Swans can be full of surprises.
Wow 🤗 that moment jumped right off the screen. You spun from watching tiny insects to chasing a swan in full flight, literally from bugs to a majestic bird slicing across the pond. I love how you leaned into the moment, even risking a shaky shot, because sometimes life gives us those seconds that just can’t wait for perfect focus. And the surprise? That the swan wasn’t taking off or landing but just trying to cross the pond fast enough, it feels like a gentle reminder that not everything follows our expectations. You captured something beautiful, unpredictable, and alive. Thank you for letting us witness that fleeting magic.
Někdy se zadaří. Nechci zrovna psát, že nejhloupější sedlák má často největší brambory ... Zkus si příště objednat hmyz. Pak se objeví žába a před Tvým objektivem hmyz zblajzne. Pak se objeví čáp a na kameru spolkne žábu ... Pak ... Pravděpodobnost, že to vyjde je malá. Ale nikoliv nulová.
Všímám si změny v Tvé tvorbě tady. English only a bez jakéhokoliv tagu, který by Tě spojoval s českou komunitou.
A taky změna image, stylu, grafiky… připravoval jsem to už nějakou dobu.
Ale nad mými milými Čechy a Slováky jsem já ještě hůl nezlomil, mám nějaké překvapující záměry, ale to se (možná) ještě uvidí (nebo taky ne). Jsem tajemný jak Pýthie 😁.
Nad krajany jsem taky hůl nikdy nezlomil. Ale co se Hive týče ... Myslím, že to tam vzal český rybníček z úplně špatného konce. A je věcí názoru, který je ten špatný. Myslím, že bychom se na tom neshodli. Ne my dva. Na rybníčku. Viděl bych tam několik názorových proudů, které spolu nekomunikují.