<< Previous Next >>

NINIX's swan family [part 1]


NINIX's swan family [part 1]
Photo Information
Copyright: Hans Spruijt (GreenBaron) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3077 W: 778 N: 9414] (37645)
Genre: Places
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-05-12
Categories: Nature
Camera: Minolta Z1
Exposure: f/6.4, 1/250 seconds
Map: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version, Workshop
Theme(s): Swan photos of my choice, NINIX and Green Baron's Swans, Favorite wildlife, *Beautiful Birdies [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2007-05-13 3:30
Viewed: 656
Favorites: 1 [view]
Points: 64
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
NINIX’s swans [part 1]

Yesterday, Saturday May 12th, I was guest of Henk, aka NINIX, and Corry Boot in Bergen op Zoom (Mountains at the Seam) for a Master Class: ”How to photograph a swan family". So first at all I want to thank Henk and Corry for their hospitality, Henk for his enthusiastic instructions and Corry for the delicious stew. Thanks my friends!

This is my story in pictures and words of NINIX’s swan family. I’m NOT competing with Henk or whatsoever, Henk is and will stay the master of the swan pictures! I’m very honoured to be a guest of His Masters Swans!


Here’s my story

Although the weather forecast wasn’t looking good, the whole afternoon, while shooting tons of pictures appeared to be excellent weather, cloudy overcast, sunny spells and a bit windy. In short: excellent photographing conditions.

Henk took me to the water were the swans have their nest, two days earlier the seven young swans hatched from their eggs, so my first impression of the swans was an empty nest with one deserted egg!
But the view would rapidly change. Walking along the reed Henk spotted in a glance the NINIX swan family in the canal next to the pond of the nest. With a high whistle he immediately got the attention of the male swan, which came sailing, proud as a frigate, towards the “Master of the Swans”. While Henk had a little chat as man between each other, the female swan and her seven young swans were imperturbable busy with eating. This was my first impression of NINIX’s swans. After a while the swans sailed along the canal towards their ‘home’ pond and here the story starts...

Before leaving the canal, father swan first inspected the surrounding if it was safe or not…apparently it wasn’t. The Green baron was too close, so he backed off. After the pull back of the Baron, the male gave the family a go for the street crossing! Henk was allowed to walk behind the eight birds.

Eight? There should be nine….were is number nine? Panic ….not with the swans but Henk freaked out ;) ... one of the young swans was missing. Were is the little white swanling? Did Mr. and Mrs. Swan deliberate forget this little fluffy swany?

To be continued tomorrow! The (sad) story of the missing young swan, really a tearjerker! Don’t miss it.

PP-talk: Only slightly cropped, add frame and text and resized for TL.

Check NINIX’s outstanding and superior swan photo portfolio here

Swans
Swans are large water birds of the family Anatidae, which also includes geese and ducks. Swans are grouped with the closely related geese in the subfamily Anserinae where they form the tribe Cygnini. Sometimes, they are considered a distinct subfamily, Cygninae.
Swans usually mate for life, though "divorce" does sometimes occur, particularly following nesting failure. The number of eggs in each clutch is between 3–8.

The word is derived from Old English swan, akin to German Schwan, in turn derived from Indo-European root *swen (to sound, to sing), whence Latin derives sonus (sound). (Webster's New World Dictionary) Young swans are known as cygnets, from the Latin word for swan, cygnus. An adult male is a cob, from Middle English cobbe (leader of a group); an adult female is a pen (origin unknown).

The Northern Hemisphere species of swan have pure white plumage but the Southern Hemisphere species are white-and-black. The Australian Black Swan (Cygnus atratus) is completely black except for the white flight feathers on its wings, and the South American Black-necked Swan has a black neck.

The legs of swans are dark blackish grey, except for the two South American species, which have pink legs. Bill colour varies; the four subarctic species have black bills with varying amounts of yellow, and all the others are patterned red and black. The Mute Swan and Black-necked Swan have a lump at the base of the bill on the upper mandible.

The swan figures prominently in the cosmogeny of many ancient peoples. This felt artifact was produced by the Scythians some 2,500 years ago (a find from Pazyryk).
Many of the cultural aspects refer to the Mute Swan of Europe. Perhaps the best known story about a swan is The Ugly Duckling fable. The story centers around a duckling who is mistreated until it becomes evident he is a swan and is accepted into the habitat. He was mistreated because real ducklings are, according to many, more attractive than a cygnet, yet cygnets become swans, which are very attractive creatures. Swans are often a symbol of love or fidelity because of their long-lasting monogamous relationships. See the famous swan-related operas Lohengrin and Parsifal.

Swan maidens, shapeshifters who are able to transform from human to swan and vice versa, are a worldwide motif in folklore. The typical tale is of a swan maiden who is temporarily robbed of her powers and forced to marry a human man.
Swans feature strongly in mythology. In Greek mythology, the story of Leda and the Swan recounts that Helen of Troy was conceived in a union of Zeus disguised as a swan and Leda, Queen of Sparta.

The Irish legend of the Children of Lir is about a mother transforming her children into swans for 900 years. Myths also exist about swans themselves. It was once believed that upon death the otherwise silent Mute Swan would sing beautifully - hence the phrase swan song.
In Norse mythology, there are two swans that drink from the sacred Well of Urd in the realm of Asgard, home of the gods. According to the Prose Edda, the water of this well is so pure and holy that all things that touch it turn white, including this original pair of swans and all others descended from them. The poem Volundarkvida, or the Lay of Volund, part of the Poetic Edda, also features swan maidens. (Text: Wikipedia.com)
s_a_s_h_a, joergen115, biblio, Bianca, joopschotsman, limba3, Janice, vandana2923, shelbeesmom, stevkds, gypsygirl58, kbeall, PierreFrigon, SkyF, XOTAELE, vsinopoulos, TheMystic, milas, Pepper13, thor68, perryhooter has marked this note useful
Only registered TrekLens members may rate photo notes.
Add Critique [Critiquing Guidelines] 
Only registered TrekLens members may write critiques.
Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To Claudine: OEGreenBaron 1 05-15 15:23
To NINIX: Poor white one....GreenBaron 1 05-13 03:49
You must be logged in to start a discussion.

Critiques [Translate]

hallo hanz..
ganz toll die Bilder und auch suss..
Richtig schon..
BRAVO!
L.G. Ella
Schones Tag und bis bald..

Hi Hans,
I see it was nice little TL meeting.
Good swans fafily shot.

Well done
Alex

Cute and nice photo Hans. Well framed and a very long and usefull note. Have a nice day Hans!
Jorgen

Good morning Hans

WOW this image brought a smile to my face and a tear to my eye at the same time. Its really beautiful.

Crystal clear and perfect framing. I cant wait to see more.

TFS regards Helen

Hi Hans
So, a visit to the Swan master. With images like this you will be up there with them.
Regards
Chris

Hi Hans,

I think you did very well! Besides being a gifted photographer you apparently are a gifted writer as well...you had me sitting at the edge of my chair, can't wait to see how this story ends! Greetings from Bianca.

Wow Hans, good story with a great photo !
Perfect in all the aspects (color, sharpness, etc). Good border too.
greetings,
Joop!

  •      
  • NINIX Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 332 W: 151 N: 575] (6243)
  • [2007-05-13 6:45]
  • [+]

He Hans,

Good shot of the whole family!
It was fun meeting you and going together on the swan safari. Thanks for all the complements and I am looking forward to see the pictures.

I probably need the rest of the day reading your interesting note!

Thanks again for the visit and take care with the other swan nest.

Hendrik

  • Great 
  • Janice Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3160 W: 213 N: 6664] (26330)
  • [2007-05-13 7:30]

Hans, what an exciting day for you, to meet Henk and be introduced to his swan family. I've looked at all the photos, and it is good to see how the swans seem to have accepted Hendrik around them.
I like seeing Ma and Pa with the babies in the water, and your continuing story will have people waiting for your post tomorrow - Thank you
Janice

Hello Hans,

excllent composure with perfect details very crisp I really like this pov with the swans alot, well done on the exposure of this photo, excllent Job

TFS Kyle

Leuk is de tête-à-tête houding van de ouders
Mooi is het wit met het donkere water
schatig zijn de kleintjes
Ruud

  • Great 
  • korbee Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 890 W: 0 N: 659] (7809)
  • [2007-05-13 13:34]

Heel goede timing de visaversa van vader en moeder,mooi Hans.
JAn

Lovely shot here Hans! Really nice Mama and her babies! Your composition is nice, very cool shot! Great notes!
Linda
B-)

Hi Hans.
Very pretty shot. Great atmosphere. This is such an amazing view. Well doen. tfs. Stev

Hi Hans,
Lovely image! Great composition and those babies are sooo cute!! Good sharpness and details and colours. Great framing too, well done and TFS
Cheers Tina :-)

  • Great 
  • kbeall Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 577 W: 112 N: 901] (3538)
  • [2007-05-13 21:46]

Hello Hans,
What an interesting journey I just followed through your note! From my early days enjoying the fairy tale "The Ugly Duckling," swans have been favorites of mine. Your shot here is wonderful, depicting the family life of these birds.
Thanks for sharing the photo as well as the note,
Karen

Hallo Hans.
Heb genoten van jullie serie foto's ze zijn echt heel mooi en leuk om te zien.
Vooral de wijze waarop je henk als de swan master beschrijft vindt ik heel mooi verwoord.
Het resltaat van de familie zwaan mag er zijn
groet Frans

  • Great 
  • TELVA Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor [C: 53 W: 11 N: 1] (798)
  • [2007-05-14 6:43]

Hello Hans, I see that increase the family. Very to tend taking and I see that not is the ugly one. Congratulations like always by your excellent work greetings.
Elvira

Very beautiful. Excellent capture if this family.
Good sharpness and details.
TFS
Pierre

Dear friend Hans,

Lovely swan photo. Lovely family captured here. Nice composition, and control over white. TFS

Vandana

ps: Nice photos in WS too.

Hola Hans.
Una imagen encantadora, con muy bellos reflejos.
Bonitos colores y estupenda nota (bastante extensa por cierto).
Saludos, JL.

Hello Hans,

Beautiful shot! Swans are majestic birds and here you captured the whole family in a very nicely composed scene. Very shrp and excellent colors.
TFS,
Vassilis

Great story Hans!
So that's where they raise the future stars of ballet and opera!
Cheers
Otto

Hello Hans, good to hear you are in swan family now. Great photo. TFS

John T (from cruise)

  • Great 
  • jone Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor [C: 1790 W: 65 N: 0] (16675)
  • [2007-05-15 2:42]

Hi Hans my friend ;)
what a beutiful photo and atmosphere... compliments... TFS...
All the best,
J ;)

  • Great 
  • jawa Gold Star Critiquer [C: 1658 W: 0 N: 1] (10667)
  • [2007-05-15 6:05]

Mooi Hans
Goed weergegeven ziet er erg lief uit.
GR Jos
P**

  • Great 
  • SkyF Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1666 W: 136 N: 1263] (6138)
  • [2007-05-15 6:53]

Hello Hans,
fabulous capture of this swan family, Ninix has them trained very well.. even the little ones know how to pose.
Very well composed, a wonderful family portrait.
Sky

  • Great 
  • milas Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2100 W: 379 N: 2059] (22110)
  • [2007-05-15 12:18]

selam hans;
verynice foto...selamlar

Hello Hans,
This is a nice family portrait with good composition and POV. I also liked those pictures in WS, they add nice element to this story :) This white color is not easy to expose and I think that even if there are little tinny OE areas, you did well. I never have tried to photograph some. Well done with interesting notes :) Thanks,
Claudine

Hans,
The swans are showing perfect plummage in their feathers and graceful curved necks. I like that they are facing in opposite directions but staying close to their babies. Wonderful family photo with great colors. :)
Linda

Hello again!

What a TL meeting and story. A member that I highly appreciate ! You definitely catched our attention here. I am going to see the others ..... I love the composition here.

I took a few myself years ago with my old reflex. They are not easy to photograph with these brillaint white. It is really tough to get them well exposed.

Fortunately , a grey day , is even better for a photo session with these guys.
Well done.
Robert

Lovely family scene - good composition and any picture of cygnets will always get a vote from me!
Thanks for sharing
Mark

Hoi Baron..
Liefelijk plaatje heb je hier. Altijd mooi die zwaantjes..

Calibration Check
















0123456789ABCDEF