Ben Ivany Photography
TRUMPETER SWANS
The Trumpeter Swan is an iconic bird that symbolizes grace, love, and - having nearly gone extinct - resilience. In Nootka Sound, the Trumpeter Swan is a reliable harbinger of winter. In late fall, these Swans arrive from their breeding grounds and spend the winter feeding in shallow waters, until they leave again in the spring.
If you are interested in photographing Trumpeter Swans in their beautiful wintering grounds, please email me at benwivany@gmail.com
I typically see the first Trumpeters sometime in late October, early November. Often these first swans are just moving through the area (Trumpeter Swans are migratory 'hoppers', meaning they take their time moving to their winter homes, travelling in short 'hops' with several pit stops before reaching their destination). The winter residents typically don't arrive until well into November, but if winter comes early to their summer homes, they will push South earlier.
From a photographic perspective, I find their shape compelling, and commanding of attention - they don't need to take up much space in the photo to have an impact. Most of this comes down to their long, elegant neck. It's funny how something so simple and seemingly irrelevant can have such an impact, but really - if I look through my favourite swan photos, and imagine the swans being replaced by hypothetical duck-necked swans (that is to say, swans with necks as short as duck necks), the impact of nearly every photo is lessened. Truly, some shapes are just more compelling than others.
