How to get good dead duck pics?

[outdoor ran]

I was just wondering what are some things you can do to get good looking after the hunt pictures. I'm talking about a guy holding ducks. It just seems there so small, bloody and blend in with your camo jacket. Holding geese look good, but I can't get any good duck ones. Any ideas?

[gorrilla]

try using game carrier/straps and hanging them from fences in the field. we've even hung them off the barbed wire with some success. they contrast nicely with the light color grasses. look at the early season goose pics...

[hobbydog]

You don't want pics of just a bunch of dead ducks, you want pics of the hunt. First of all some things not to do....tailgates, garage floors, in front of the house pics tell nothing of the hunt other than the kill. Pics of birds laying on the ground do not tell you much either.

Take the pics in the blind or as close to to place you hunted as possible. Take pics of not only the ducks but get a good background. The pic should tell a story. For instance, in the pic below, you can tell it was a nice sunny day, maybe a bit cool. You can tell the ducks were shot over decoys, a young hunter got some good action and it was a pretty good hunt. Even with that I don't think this is a great picture as the sun is a bit harsh and the ducks would look better on a strap. Could have also had the dog in the pic....but it does tell a lot about this particular hunt.

Contrast that with thes pic above and it tells you it was a cold, overcast day and the divers were flying.

And sometimes just a single duck with a band or some nice plumage. This pic is not that good either as it should have had a lighter background.

[hanson]

Good or bad, these are a couple pics of myself that I like.

The first one here definitely has a number of the qualities HobbyDog mentioned. This is probably one of my personal favorite hunting pics and I remember that day quite vividly. My dad kept missing birds as the same flocks of ringbills kept circling our decoys over & over & over & over again. Then all of a sudden, one of the flocks comes by and he drops 2 of the nicest drake ringers we shot that day back to back. I'm not sure how he pulled it off but it was excited and amusing at the same time.

Here's another pic of a couple gadwalls I shot a few years back.

I think the trick to good photos is to get as much of the hunting background as possible into the photo, whether its the lake, decoys, blind, or something. Hold your gun and the birds and make the photo look as real or spontaneous as possible. I think these basic guidelines can go for any outdoor photo- fishing, deer hunting, duck hunting, etc.

[outdoor ran]

now them pics look good. I can see now what I have to do. I really like the pic with the snow and nice ring bills. thanks for the tips

[dead eye blind]

I have had good success taking pictures of my fellow hunters in the boat/blind holding their gun and looking to the sky as the sun came up. The lighting is great and it reminds me of how peaceful it is just to be out there! They even turned out with using a disposable camera so I didn't have to worry about losing my good one in the swamp!

I also think the best hunting pictures are the ones taken in the field.

[Dean Schellinger]

We always stack them up on the Tailbed of a truck, and sit on and in the truck bed. They always look good, get the dogs and rig in the pic and it adds alot. Don't be afraid to get in for a close up either. Just the ducks on the ground is a good one to see all the plumage and (Contact US Regarding This Word).

[hanson]

If you are looking for more photo ideas.

Check this thread out from last year.

Lookin' Back, Thinkin' Ahead

I really like the photos that Trashdux posted.