These are a few of my favourite things

Growing up my favourite animal was the black swan. This was before I realised how vicious they were when they were after bread, and the hideous noise they make when calling out to each other (I was taken aback at just how un-graceful that sound is!).

But I have to say, on a side note, my older brother ruined it for 6 year old me - he used to pretend to point out dead swans to me just to get a rise. I would inform him that there were none there, and proceed to get quite cranky at his stirring. This is also the person whose pet name for me was 'mozzie'. Thankfully, we are now older and wiser, and the one thing (among other things) my brother and I have in common these days is photography. I love to chat with him about photos he has been taking and tell him why Canon is better than Nikon (Nikon aren't bad...but they aren't Canon) and look enviously at his photos from Europe...

Anyway, back to the swans. The very ALIVE swans.

I still love them - I love how they move in pairs, mate for life, are graceful, peaceful and calm. The picture of tranquility (provided they don't make a noise...or you have ear muffs). These guys were on a waterhole we went by on a 4WD trek. We were the lead car at that stage of a convoy of three. I'd tried capturing some swans (on camera) earlier that day but they flew away. This happens a lot with me and birds. And animals. And people. They just don't do as they told!

So of course, when I saw a bevy (yes a bevy - Wikipedia says so and it sounds better than flock or herd) of swans cruising placidly down the river, I could not resist. I stopped the car, which thus stopped the convoy, and ran out in my thongs on the stony riverbed to capture the swans. I didn't hold out much hope for this photo, as it was taken in a rush, but was pleasantly surprised. I love it when you have the right lens on a the right time for that quick moment! (we just won't talk about the Jabiru we saw later in the day that I promptly scared away by slamming the car door shut in my haste to get my camera...rookie mistake...)

I have two favourite things about this photo - one, the stunning light. Everything is exposed correctly except a couple of overexposed feathers. Two the fact that it seamlessly stitched together (two landscape photos) despite the movement of the swans.

This one is for my brother. The Alive Swans. Hope he likes it.