Northern Ducks in Norway

Over the years it is fascinating to watch how your own style of photography changes. Hopefully the quality increases but it is often only when you review work on the computer that you end up comparing images you have taken recently with those of a few years ago. Over the last few rainy weeks I have been trying to get ahead with the many office tasks that never seem to end when I reviewed a number of images I had taken earlier in the year. These were of the 3 main species of ducks that over-winter in the Norwegian fiords, king eider, Stellar’s eider and long-tail duck. All 3 species are drop dead gorgeous and unlike many ducks they are probably looking their best in winter. This is especially true of long-tailed ducks which when they change into their breeding plumage look as if they have put on the most dowdy and uninspiring coat possible!

I had been spending time on Hornoya Island in March photographing puffins in the snow when we decided to spend a day or 2 on the west coast working with the Northern ducks. Luckily a floating hide is available to hire which allows really low camera angles. This low angle approach is something I now take for granted but the real bonus of the hide is the potential for really moody lighting and dramatic backgrounds, I just loved it. And it was this that made me realise when I reviewed these images just how much I have changed. I now look for this style as a matter of course and not something I add to the more ‘normal stock’ images if I have the time.