TITLE: Mating Dance

DESCRIPTION: May 12, 2008 Camera: Nikon D80 Shutter: 1/500 seconds F-Stop: f/5.6 Focal Length: 135mm This photo was taken on a class field trip to Point Defiance. I was walking on the dock by the water when two birds started flapping around. I don’t know if they were fighting each other or mating, but I just took as many pictures as I could. This is the only shot where both of the birds aren’t in the frame, but I actually like it the best because it is looking right at the camera, wings widespread, beak open. Looking at it, it takes me back to the dock and makes me feel like part of the action, which is one of the things I like best about it; that it draws in viewers with, not only the bird’s features, but with the sunlight’s illumination of the white bird against a brown background and the clarity of the subject.