The dance stand, Todd Gustafon, USA, 2006

The dance stand
Todd Gustafon, USA
2006

With around 4 million lesser flamingos to choose from, Gustafon’s problem was “where to stop and how to compose a picture that wasn’t just a mass of pink.” Arriving at Lake Nakuru, Kenya, just before dawn, he chose a spot where the rising sun would hit the lake’s edge. The collective noun for flamingos is a stand, and this is the stand that caught Gustafon’s eye. Males group together, arching their necks and ruffling feathers to impress a female. Others may join the dance, and the circling and swirling stand can swell to the hundreds. As the sun rose, this group huddled in anticipation, illuminated by a beautiful soft light, their curved bills perfectly poised.

Technical specification: Canon EOS-1D Mark II + 600mm IS lens; 1/1250 sec at f5.6; 100 ISO; Todd-Pod + Wimberley head