Well, I know Cassie will be able to answer this so this was going to be a PM to her, but I figured maybe there are others, who are like me, and are "In-the-closet" duck photogs"

When I stalk ducks,, I have a 70-300 D, on the F4s. But my favorite duck stalking place, is the town lake. The lake is man made so the four banks of the lake are elevated, placing the water at a lower level than my tripod. Also since the banks are sloped, it makes shooting the ducks a bit odd. As I would like lower level, but to get as low as I would like, my tripod becomes a factor, as I can not get it nearly as low as I would like it to be, nowhere even close!

QUACK QUACK QUACK!!!

Aaron J. Heiner
Team Coast Guard Photographer
US Department of Homeland Security

I think you're quackers! The idea is to get rid of the tripod and get down on your belly with the camera on a beanbag. A waist-level finder (ie F4 , F5 or an ancient Exakta) or a right angle finder would obviously help.

You also need a groundsheet to keep you isolated from the duck droppings.

Paul Fisher
Nikonian in Perth, Western Australia
My home page

No no no no no no no!
You have to go into the water. Do, as a friend of mine did. Ludo built a huge swan and uses it as a floating hide. He sits in it, half in the water, dressed in a wetsuit. He actually walks over the bottom right up to the ducks. The ducks don't fly away because they are used to see swans. Just be careful in the mating season. You might get beaten up by a jeaulous "real" swan.

Cheers,
Philippe

WILDEYES / ARTERRA
Before You Attempt To Beat The Odds. Be Sure You Could Survive The Odds Beating You.

Attachment #1, (jpg file)

Well even getting down on the ground does not work too well for where I shoot, Paul. (I'm am well renouned for gettign on my belly to get a shot, lol. I have worn swimming trunks casue I'll go in to streasm, but this pond has a good slope on al four sides, and the ability to shoot from that angle would still give a similar effect as if I were using a tripod casue of the eleations casued by the angle. On my belly, I'd be at roughly a 30-35% grade.

I like your idea Phile, but the water of the pond is roughly 15 feet deep, not to mention I'd probibly get fined if I were to try and go out in to the lake. I was thinking of trying to raft out, or sit on the now turned off water fountain on the center of the lake.

At this point, I ma starting to think that there may be no way for me to get a near level shot with a major at grade. I was even thinking of digging a trench in the grade, but I don't want a fine.

Ugh, I hate brainstorming, well it's back to watching the Newsblast over all those damn snipewr shootings we got going on down the street from me here.

Aaron J. Heiner
Team Coast Guard Photographer
US Department of Homeland Security

Might just have to find a different location, Aaron. There are some places I really wish I could photograph ducks at, but because of limitations such as the ones you described, there's simply not much I can do but go elsewhere. I would suggest checking out your local birdwatching group for locations and ask for species lists to find out where ducks are, then scope them out yourself to see if they would be a good place for you to make photos.

Cassie
from Beautiful British Columbia

Yeah, I just hate having to drive 25 miles to the enxt decent area. I like the city lakes casue the ducks are so tame that I can get pretty close even with the 300 the ducks just ignore me.

Aaron J. Heiner
Team Coast Guard Photographer
US Department of Homeland Security

Get yourself a carnival periscope (the cardboard thing with two mirrors) fix it at the end of the 300mm... And be sure to have a friend to take a picture of the complete set-up for it would make a nice new thread.. :-):-)

Jacques

"Un photographe, finalement, c'est quelqu'un comme les autres, mais qui prend des photos." - Man Ray
My Gallery...
My Other Gallery...

Try flight shots.

Cassie
from Beautiful British Columbia

My flight shots always look like cr@p! I always go wide to get them in the frame but then they look too small, and never can get a decent enlargement. I like the duck to fill the frame.

Aaron J. Heiner
Team Coast Guard Photographer
US Department of Homeland Security

I bet you'll be able to get full frame pictures of a "Duck à 'l Orange".

Cheers,
Philippe

WILDEYES / ARTERRA
Before You Attempt To Beat The Odds. Be Sure You Could Survive The Odds Beating You.

It's not getting beaten up that worries me...it's being seen a one hot mama goose!

I thought this kind of thing only happened on the Red Green Shown and in the tabloids! I guess the white lens explains the behavior.

BJ

Zenfolio gallery

Dig a burrow in the bank...

quack!

Cheers..

Ya'll Quack me up!

I'd probibly get arrested for digging in the city park. The city even fines people now for feeding the ducks.

Aaron J. Heiner
Team Coast Guard Photographer
US Department of Homeland Security

Or come to Moab and take a picture of a dry-land North Carolinean Duck.

ENJOY THE DAY & CAPTURE THE MOMENT Bob T

A BAD DAY BEHIND A NIKON BEATS A GOOD DAY BEHIND A DESK - Bob Tomerlin
My Nikonians Gallery

yeah, but stay away from my Nikonian equipment... QUACK! QUACK!

Get a Nikonos and go for a swim!!

Richard

Richard
http://www.rkphoto.ca

These are ancheint for some reason, I seem to be lacking in scanning any of the 90000000000000000000000000000 shots of ducks in for some reason! These were done on Velvia.

SUPPLENTAL: You know, I really would like to own a Nikonos some day, to do scuba shots.

Aaron J. Heiner
Team Coast Guard Photographer
US Department of Homeland Security

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Aaron,
My greatest difficulty in shooting ducks is whether to use my Nikon or my Remington . Sorry, I couldn't resist.

I've only ever had luck shooting at water level. A canoe or kayak may be helpful with camo netting.

Jeff Johnson

Ducks,

Who care about the Ducks. I want to see some PUFFINS

Enjoy
Allan, A Comox Valley Nikonian

~Cheers, Allan~
www.allanschroeder.com

Um, I'm not really sure how to respond to that!

Aaron J. Heiner
Team Coast Guard Photographer
US Department of Homeland Security

I took this picture on Monday morning. I saw these little guys whe our family went apple picking.

It was taken at Iso 100 f/5.6 1/500

Comments are encouraged!

Thanks for your time!

Attachment #1, (jpg file)

Ok, I did this shot, but it was in my mass-digipix directory so I'm not sure when I did this guy!

EDIT: Removed pic, cause it was bad.

Aaron J. Heiner
Team Coast Guard Photographer
US Department of Homeland Security