ART OF GEORGE WILLIAM VAN HUMBECK

As I had previously stated, I think that trumpeter swans are magnificent. I came across world-renowned photographer, Jim Brandenburg's article on Lake Shagawa in the National Geographic. Jim is a Minnesota native and Lake Shagawa is not far from Lake of the Woods. So it is with reason that had a strong sense of déjà vu. It has been many years since I had toured the Lake of the Woods. I was there in the spring and was amazed at the wondrous variety of water fowl that were nesting on these lakes including trumpeter swans.

Using Jim's mist laden scene of Lake Shagawa as a reference I tried to create a composition that would work with the inclusion of the trumpeter swan pair. It was necessary to give the trees more definition and colour than Jim's to work with the definition I wanted the swans to have. It was a great exercise in making sure that the air and environmental light that bathed the landscape did likewise to the swans.