One of my favorite trails at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge follows the shoreline. In many parts of the trail, vegetation partially blocks my view of the water, but there are also open areas that let me get clear shots of ducks and other waterfowl. As I was nearing one such open area on Tuesday the water suddenly exploded—I had spooked a flock of American Coots (Fulica americana) that had been feeding close to the shore.
I quickly brought my camera up to my eye and snapped off a few photos. When I reviewed the resulting images on my screen, I really liked the sense of motion that I had managed to capture in the coots and in the water. I decided not to crop the two photos below, so you can get a sense of what I was seeing when I looked through my camera’s viewfinder. Neither image is super sharp, but I think that the slight blurriness enhances the almost abstract “feel” of the photos.
What do you think?
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
Wow. Great shots, Mike.
Great and fun captures, Mike.
Thanks, Chris. I never quite know how well the shots will turn out when I have to react so quickly.
I most enjoy shots like yours Mike, shots I call “real” shots. Having a bird or subject pose can be really nice for various reasons, but I enjoy capturing and seeing others capture moments that are most often what we experience. We often spook a flock of birds or waterfowl feeding and getting to capture that moment is real and interesting.
Thanks so much, Nicole, for your wonderfully supportive comments. Often I like to try to capture a “sense of the moment” in my photos. Although those images may be far from being technically perfect, I think they can be more effective in conveying a sense of “being there” than a portrait-style close-up shot.
I don’t know which is better, the images or the post title! Great post.