[Click on the image to view in a lightbox.]

I went to a nearby pond early this morning with a particular shot in mind: these Mallard ducklings, backlit, in calm water, with the camera at water-level.

Almost none of that happened. Mother Duck never led her little ones where I wanted them. I couldn’t get low enough on the shore. Wind was stirring up the water, as was a fountain in the pond. And the sun was obscured most of the time by a thick layer of clouds.

This—going to a location with a fairly specific shot in mind—is new for me. I also know that many of the wildlife photographers I follow get way more specific than that in their planning. But even when conditions don’t align, you photograph what’s there. And what was there for me this morning (and maybe tomorrow morning?) were these two adorable ducklings. So it was hard to feel disappointed for long.

Location: Silverton, Oregon

Date: May 18, 2021

Exposure: 1/200 second, f/6.3, ISO 1600

Focal Length: 550 mm

Gear:

• Camera: Nikon D750

• Lens: Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM Contemporary