DECEMBER 2023: DUADE PATON
“PHOTOGRAPH A BIRD AT DAWN FROM GROUND LEVEL”
This month, Australian wildlife and bird photographer Duade Paton sets an assignment that is a creative and physical stretch, the latter in a literal sense. This assignment was set initially in episode #407.
THE ASSIGNMENT BRIEF
From Duade: “I’d like you to visit a local wetland, somewhere where there are water birds like ducks, swans or geese. I want you to get there before the sun comes up, and then I’d like you to get into a position as low to the water as you can that’s comfortable without exposing yourself too much to the elements. The lower you can get, the better for the picture.
In terms of focal length, you can go as wide or as narrow as you want, so you don’t have to think of this as a zoomed-in photograph. Any camera or lens. This challenge is really all about getting out into the field, just experiencing nature, listening to the wildlife and the birds; simply watching them go about their business.
There's something very rewarding and relaxing about watching wildlife just going about its daily movement. If you can get a photographic memento of that with beautiful light, nothing beats it.”
HOW TO ENTER. IMPORTANT NOTES ON FILE SIZE AND ENTRIES
Send your entries to stories@photowalk.show. Pictures should be 2,500 pixels wide, if possible, for online optimisation. Or send the full-resolution photo, which we will optimise. Feel free to provide text as well, if you think it will help explain the location, context etc.
Entries are shown below, and good luck!
Neale
DUADE PATON
Duade’s picture of a Red-Necked Stint, taken from ground level, photographing across water.
ERIC JOSEPH - FLASK WINNER FOR DECEMBER
I stayed as true to the assignment as much as possible, up at 3:45am to drive a few hours to the coast, though where I live (New Jersey, USA) most wetlands are part of sanctuaries or parks that don’t open until at least sunrise and many several hours after. The Forsythe Wildlife Refuge in Brigantine opened up right at sunrise, which was about 10 minutes before my arrival. I scurried about a quarter mile to the wetlands as quickly as possible and found quite a few waterfowl., though when it’s a few degrees below freezing before the windchill, they aren’t doing much quite yet. I had about 20 minutes of the golden hour left and did manage quite a few photos.
Overall, it was a great morning out on the marshes! Here are three for the assignment. Top left Shoveler, top right Dunlin, lower left Northern pintail, lower right Great blue heron. See more of Eric’s work by following his X feed.
MARILYN DAVIES
This is my first entry to the assignment. I often am up at the crack of dawn trying to take photos of birds. But our Queensland summers see dawn around 4:45am and to get in place early, takes a lot of commitment and effort.
This morning, we went for our photowalk to Lake Eden in North Lakes (on the northern outskirts of the Brisbane metropolitan area in Queensland). Lake Eden is home to many waterbirds (I can't recall seeing pelicans there, though). The bird population includes many cormorants and ducks and is home to some black swans who breed there every year. The swans are quite friendly as, despite the signs warning them to the contrary, many people come to feed them and the ducks. When you get there, the swans and some ducks, quickly find their way to you to look for a feed.
This swan is a parent of two cygnets who are getting quite big now but still have their grey feathers. His/her mate was there too and all were quite interested to see if we had any food for them.
I listen to your podcasts in the car and particularly enjoy your conversations with Valerie Jardin. When I can, I try to do some street photography but now my husband is keen on photography, and he's not keen on people photography so we often do landscapes, architecture, and birds when we're out together.
I should write in more often as a lot of my photography is inspired by your podcasts. Every time I take a photo of a tree, I think of Mali Davis!!! In Australia we have magnificent gum trees, which I love, and in which you can sometimes find koalas sleeping. It's always a thrill to photograph them but the sightings are becoming, unfortunately, rare.
I could talk about photography forever and give you examples of what I'm referencing but you will have to be content with two of my images and a short/not-so-short letter from me.
PETER MADDERN
My entry has not been taken at a spectacular wetland but in my local children's boating pool. Not many pond yachts or clockwork speedboats these days, I think X boxes and computers have taken over. A pair of swans spend every winter here being fed by all the local dog walkers and in return the swans chase and hiss at the dogs, just like you and Barney Neale! If another swan flies in, war breaks out and can get quite vicious until the intruder is seen off.
MICHAEL HONKOMP
I am sending two photos. The first was the subject of the trip to the Fernald Nature Preserve. I made two trips out there in December and both days were downright miserable. Overcast and drizzly weather. It seems my schedule only allows for bad weather lately. The first image is of a Muted Swan who at the time of shooting I thought he was a lone majestic touring the pond. However upon editing I noticed a mallard hiding in the dark shoreline.
The second image was much more exciting for me. While viewing the swan swimming around I had noticed some hawks swooping around, but then I looked to my left near the end of the pond and I saw a Short-Eared Owl sitting on a tree just watching me. I was surprised he sat there and let me take a portrait, and I was glad I wasn't a rodent catching the gaze of those eyes.
CHRIS HALE
I’m fortunate to live in a city (Ottawa, Canada) that is a wonderful place to photograph wildlife all year long. Despite my best efforts, family responsibilities, weather, and illness (the return of the dreaded Covid) have prevented me from making an early morning photo of local bird life in December. Instead, I have resorted to digging through my photo archives to find this image of a duck waking up. I do remember laying flat on the dew drenched grass to get low enough to make the photo.
See more of Chris’ work on Instagram.
MAURICE WEBSTER
This might be stretching the definition of “wetland” somewhat, given the urban setting, but cities don't come much wetter than Venice. 😉
A recent visit to this magical city saw me embark on my standard early morning walk around the city. A common theme of all my photography trips, I love walking the streets with camera in hand, watching and capturing the city as it awakens. On this particular morning, the tide was high, and I happened upon this wee fella, (possibly an Egret? I am no birdwatcher!) walking under the tables and chairs of a flooded seating area of a restaurant on the Grand Canal. Although this is not my usual subject matter, I was drawn by the light, and I thought it was a lovely scene that encapsulated the unique geography of Venice.
Whilst I did not prostrate myself as suggested by Duade, I did walk back to my hotel with one very damp knee!
MIKE MILLER
I've had to dip into my slide film archives to submit images for this month's photo challenge. In the 1990s, we frequently visited my parents-in-law's cottage. I was very interested in the wildlife photography of Tim Fitzharris and my wife made me a concertina blind based on his plans that he published in one of his books. I'm actually in the water with this blind on when I was able to get very close to this Loon and Great Blue Heron and make images of them. With the heron, I was actually at chest height in the water when that image was made. I was in slightly shallower water when the loon image was made.
My wife nicknamed me "the brown blob" when I was making images in the water. I've attached photos that my wife made of me so you have an idea of what I am talking about. I'm sure Duade would find this set-up to be interesting.
ANDREW HARDACRE
A Marsh Sandpiper, beautifully reflected by Andrew Hardacre.
CHAS SPIROS
This is your friend and loyal listener Chas, from Miami. Florida has wonderful birding! Including this peacock, which was in my side yard oak!
DAVID HORNE
I’m submitting 3 photos for this month’s assignment. They were shot while I was RV camping at a state park north of Santa Barbara, California and are all taken on my beach photowalk. This first one (above) is a Blue Heron Taking Flight. Below are pelicans in flight. See more of David’s work on his Instagram, Vero and Flickr accounts.
JOHN LANCASTER
A gloomy dull and rainy dawn, December 27th 2023, still dark really. Weather for ducks (and swans) I guess ! Taylor Park, St Helens, Merseyside. See more of John’s work on Instagram.
LARS HEGAARD
Another swan photo for the December assignment. Five minutes' walk from where we live, we have a pond where a pair of swans live. Not even the constant sound of fireworks can scare them away, so I took the chance that my morning face wouldn't frighten them either. In good time, for what feels like the first sunrise in ages, I found myself at the muddy shore. The swans quickly anticipated my presence and almost began to pose for me. Confident, they would win any confrontation if it came to that.
PER BIRKHAUG
I'm submitting no less than six photos (above and below) for this month’s assignment. Although I must say, they're almost in defiance of the assignment requirements. Photographing birds as the sun rises in Norway at this time of year!?!? Come on! In some parts of the country, the doesn't rise at this time of the year! And here in Bergen, it doesn't seem like the sun rises for most of December. So these aren't shot in December, and they're not made during sunrise. They were made in November, but as the sun is so low at that time of year, you do get that glow that I suspect is part of the assignment's requirements. See more of Per’s work on Instagram.
KELLY MITCHELL
Here are two images of Ms. Mallard hanging out along the Bow River, this morning. I found one patch of ground with no snow or ice so I didn’t get all wet, haha!! Now, this isn’t at sunrise… it’s really very cloud-covered and with the sun being so low in the sky. I don’t really think the sun rises at the moment, just kinda pokes its nose up to see what’s going on, and goes back to bed.
See more of Kelly’s work on her website.
ROB SPICER
This picture was taken at Pictou Harbour, Nova Scotia. This Great Blue Heron was flying in just after sunrise to start fishing for his breakfast.
