Who's never photographed a swan?

click photo to enlarge

Alright, hands up! Who's never photographed a swan? We all do it don't we - except you at the back pretending to be above such a thing? And we all know it's about the corniest picture you can take. But we just can't help ourselves, can we!

However, I've been thinking. Why should we apologise for snapping swans? They are the biggest, whitest, most beautiful birds, with that superb flash of colour on the beak. Watch them sailing along, looking like kings and queens of the water, maintaining a slow, calm, quiet dignity in all they do. Well, except taking off and landing on the ground - these actions look like a struggle followed by a controlled tumble! And they are so obliging. They perform like catwalk models. "You want me sailing left? Certainly sir". "Sailing right with neck sensuously curved - how's this?" "Wings raised and feathers fluffed? There you are sir." "A little closer to fill the frame? Is this near enough?"

I suppose that's the problem. Because swans seem to be putting on a permanent show, regardless of what they are doing, they are photographed t0 death! And it's hard to find a new take on the swan photograph. Here's my attempt above. Out of the many shots I fired off, this is the best. Nothing special, I grant you. But I did like the symmetry that's slightly broken by the regal turn of the head and the shadow of the neck. Mainly I liked the heart shape made by the raised wings. Perhaps the shot would be suitable for a Valentine's Day card. Now that would be really corny!

photograph & text (c) T.Boughen