Battling the storm

Vincenzo Mazza's Image

Fierce gusts buffeted this coastal lagoon, and when Vincenzo stepped out of the car to photograph these swans, ‘the wind made it impossible to stand still, let alone frame a composition,’ he says.

As the family of whooper swans battled against the waves, three greylag geese struggled into shot to complete the scene. Populations of whooper swans, named after their loud whooping calls, winter primarily in Britain and Ireland, although small numbers stay to endure the harsh Icelandic conditions. In order to reach Europe, they migrate up to 1,400 kilometres in probably the longest sea crossing of any swan species.


Behind the lens

Vincenzo Mazza

Vincenzo Mazza

Italy

Vincenzo is a landscape photographer with a passion for nature. He has travelled to many countries, but most of his work is focused on Italian and Icelandic landscapes. His photographs have been published around the world, and have won awards in international competitions.

Image details

  • Canon EOS 5D Mark III
  • 70−200mm f4 lens at 163mm
  • 1/800 sec at f5.6
  • Ring road, between Vik and Reykjavik, Iceland
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