I was hoping to nail one these tree swallows in flight. I failed miserably so I had to settle for one that was perched precariously in very windy conditions. I decided to go for this type of crop which shows the type of trees preferred for nesting. I also chose this one because the swallow was getting ready to duke it out over a nest hole.
Specific Feedback Requested: How do you like this comp? It reminds me of a Bateman composition where the subject is an important, but more minor component in the comp.
Pertinent technical details or techniques:
D850 600mm f4 (1/2000 sec at f8, ISO 1250) Topaz DeNoise AI, Levels, crop for comp, rubber stamp tool foir removing several OOF branch tips.
Is this a composite? (focus stacks or exposure blends are not considered composites) No
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The perch adds an area of interest. I like the pose of the swallow, showing the tail feathers and the open beak. One gets the sense it is checking you out from the corner of its eye. Nice capture. Swallows are tough to get in flight; I wonder if the newer cameras with auto eye focus makes it any easier?
Very interesting composition with an excellent pose and eye-catching detail.
@Allen_Brooks, eye AF (or fast, accurate AF of any sort) doesn’t help me with the hardest part of shooting BIF, which is just getting them in the frame (and keeping them there). And the DOF is shallower than I expect, so if initial focus is too far off I may not even see a smudge.
The thing that would help me is some sort of space-age subject grabbing. (Oh, wait, it’s already the space age. Maybe in the next millennium…)
Interestingly, a few times I’ve seen Alan Murphy show the full-frame of some of his BIF shots, and the final versions are huge crops. So, a high-res lens and sensor are probably the best starting point. With less telephoto it’s easier to follow the action smoothly, but then I’m frustrated by the subject so small in the frame that it’s detail starts being lost in noise.
Hi Jim
I guess I am not alone in failing photograph flying Tree Swallows. The only luck I have ever had, is windy day and the Swallow is flying into the wind. This photograph reminds my of a Saturday Evening Post cover by Norman Rockwell. The simple lines and tilt of the Swallow head tell interesting story.
Peter
