When most photographers start taking images of waterfowl, we take a lot of images of birds sitting on the water. But, as we strive for more intriguing images, we lean towards birds in motion. Although I tend to shy away from photographing paddling birds, I look for any opportunity of waterfowl fighting for a mate, taking off, or landing on water. Splashing water helps communicate movement. A fast shutter speed will freeze the disturbed water giving the image another visual element. To capture this type of shot, I photograph in the cluster mode so I can get seven to eight frames per second. And, I watch birds closely to know when the best splashing will take place. Shoot too early or too late and it’s easy to miss the effect. And, by shooting multiple frames per second, it allows me to choose the image with the best water movement. The other interesting aspect of this photo is the goose’s tongue. Sometimes you don’t notice characteristics like this until you view the photo later on a large screen.
