Relaxed Canada Goose portrait – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/400, ISO 500, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
Today I wanted to share this simple Canada Goose portrait. I took this portrait three years ago today at a pond close to where I live in Salt Lake City. I see Canada Geese at that pond frequently during the winter months. As abundant as these geese are here and across the country I always enjoy having them in my viewfinder.
Canada Geese can be loud, aggressive, and they can make quite a mess with their poop. When I look at this Canada Goose portrait I don’t think of those traits. What I see is a beautiful bird resting on the shoreline of my local pond.
I also see the sun starting to set over the Oquirrh Mountains reflected in the eye of this goose along with a few clouds floating in the sky.
The reason I decided to share this Canada Goose portrait today was because of how relaxed the goose is. I feel a bit like this goose this morning. The tension, concerns, and anxiety I felt earlier during this historic week have dissipated. I feel calmer and infinitely more relaxed.
Life is good.
Mia
To view more of my Canada Geese images plus facts and information about this species click here.
Beautiful! Such incredible detail. Great, great, eye contact. It is so deep and clear I can practically see myself in the reflection. Thanks Mia.
Yet another Canadian checking in. So happy for this dawn of a new era. Thank you for the portrait, they are indeed lovely to look at!
I feel more relaxed although living in Alberta, we have the oil and gas issues and Premier Kenney’ s reaction to the pipeline being cancelled. Many of us rose up recently to voice our disapproval about newly leased coalmine exploration between two waterways and it was stopped but lots more to be done. He did it without consulting anyone and the Environment minister is more for pushing things forward for business than being for the environment. Enjoying the birds is a nice reprieve and I do like Biden. I still enjoy the Canada goose for the same reasons. I love this shot.
Two of my favourite birding bloggers have posted photos of geese this morning. Very different geese, but both are beauties.
I am glad you are feeling calmer. I thought with overcast skies today I might head over to Sugar House Park and try photographing gulls and geese in flight on a cloudy day to practice my shots in low light. See if It is indeed me being rusty or my camera having issues. Yesterday the camera did the oddest thing while shooting. I have had it happen once before a year ago, long before it’s hard blow to the dash and floor.
Passed several of his cousins browsing in the park on my way to get a donut and coffee this morning. They are incredibly beautiful animals and your portrait captures their elegance. I love all the feather detail and the little droplets of water. Kudos to you for nailing the exposure on that black and white head too, Mia. You are so talented and I am grateful to you for sharing your talent with all of us. 💗
Relaxed. A wonderful state.
We Canadians are feeling less tension and relaxed, too, like the Canada Goose.
I love this Liz. I love that you are all feeling more relaxed as well. It is about time.