Mrs Mallard Beds Down For The Night

Tamara and I passed a pair of mallards earlier in the day on our way into town to see Isle Of Dogs.

On the way back we spotted the pair hunkered down in the grass. We were near home, and I came out again to photograph the pair in the fading light.

I used my Nikon D7000 with a long lens and ISO 800. I was worried that the high ISO would cause the shadows to block up because I always seem to get the exposure wrong in a way that doesn’t happen with the Fuji.

The male, being more contrasty and dark, did look a bit grungy in the photos – and I must work out how to shoot better in low light with the camera.

But it all worked out for the female mallard. Of course, she woke up to the sound of the shutter button, but she didn’t seem disturbed.

And when I look at the photos – I really like them.

Mallards are beautiful birds.