CYRIL RUOSO

Cyril is a French photographer. Formerly addicted to primates, he has now become obsessed with puddles and ponds. See more of his work at www.cyrilruoso.com

1 BRIGHT LIGHT

Photographers tend to avoid taking shots when the sun is at its zenith, but direct overhead light can create interesting effects in water. Strong lighting is what makes this shot – the rays of the overhead sun slice brightly through the water, creating a lovely texture and illuminating the clouds of sediment kicked up by the swan’s beak.

2 FEATHERFOCUS

I used strobe lights to bring out the details of the bird that would otherwise be lost in the shade – the swan’s bright white plumage catches the light well. Without strobes, the swan would have appeared in silhouette.

3 BOTTOMS UP

The swan’s tail protruding from the surface of the water creates a black hole, which contrasts strongly with the bright white ball of the swan’s body, giving the image a more mysterious feel.

4 BUBBLE AND BEAK

The billowing clouds of sediment create a strong sense of movement. You can see exactly where the bird was foraging on previous dives, and that it appears to be working its way along the pond bottom. The air bubbles rising to the surface also give an indication of how long the bird has spent underwater. Using Gudule meant that the underwater landscape was not disturbed.

5 SWAN IN THE SPOTLIGHT

This frame is wide enough to show the bird in its underwater environment – an important element of the shot. The swan is in the centre of a light cone, spotlighted like an actor on a stage. I had to position Gudule nice and low to make sure the swan blocked the sun.