This looks very peaceful Huw, with the mottled light adding to the attraction. It would be nice to see at least one head with eyes showing, plus you could burn-in that brightest bit behind the grass clumps.
Huw: Was it something you said that made them all turn away from you? You really ought to be nice to such lovely critters . This looks like such a pleasant place and I could see spending a lot of time there even without a camera. >=))>
I really like the environment in which you chose to photograph these Swans and their Cygnets. It adds to the sense of calm and peacefulness that the swans themselves exhibit. The dappled lighting is very effective here. I wished that the swans were facing forward, but sometimes that just doesn’t happen. Nice shot.
Such a peaceful scene Huw. It’s a great one for the weekly challenge.
I can imagine sitting on the little bank with a picnic basket. (Maybe not. The swans might attack!)
You’ve got some good suggestions above. I, too, would like to see the swans facing me. I think it adds a connection between subject and viewer. And, yes, I’d try to lose the bright post in the background and the red dot on the fence line.
You’ve handled the whites very well. I also like the loose triangle the birds and the lilies form.
You captured a very peaceful scene. I like the light&shadow play on the swans. I think that whether you want it or not, the swans are main objects, viewers look at them first, all the greenery is viewed in the second place. If so, I would consider making them more dominant and the whole image more consistent with the viewers’ impressions, especially that the light&shadow is very nice. In a way, this would be a kind of substitution of facing the viewers. My personal preference would be a tighter crop but still keeping the environment. I would also lighten up the shadows a bit (this is not done in my version).
. This looks like such a pleasant place and I could see spending a lot of time there even without a camera. >=))>
