Photo of the Day

canvasback ducks at dawn on the Chesapeake Bay, Maryland
September 27, 2013

Canvasback Ducks, Maryland

This Month in Photo of the Day: The Stories Behind Your Shots

A private tidal pond in Maryland's Chesapeake Bay hosts thousands of overwintering canvasback ducks, seen here gathered at dawn. "Canvasback ducks are my favorite bird to pursue, both with my camera and as a waterfowl hunter," says Paul Bramble, a member of National Geographic's Your Shot community. "Witnessing so many at one spot is incredible."

For this shot, Bramble employed a remote to allow the birds to move close enough to give a packed appearance. "As it was early morning, I set the camera to aperture priority to account for the changing light," he says. "Luck provided the shutter speed of 1/15th and the painterly blur of birds in the foreground."

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Photograph by Paul Bramble, Your Shot

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