I wrote a bit about composition a while back. In that post I lamented accidentally amputating parts of birds by not zooming out enough. In trying to diverge from just taking standard bird photographs, I’ve been doing a lot of the opposite and giving my subjects ample breathing room. It’s also worth trying the opposite, though! With a few very co-operative Mallard/Grey duck hybrids at Lake MacGregor (next to Lake Tekapo), I had the chance to get very close and go for tighter compositions.

The sky was overcast which made the lake pale grey, perfect for overexposing to white. I know quite a few people dislike subjects on white backgrounds, but I like the simple and graphic result. The shapes and textures of the feathers are an interesting contrast. Getting in close gives an intimate feel, especially when you can see what the duck is seeing reflected in her eye!