Melissa Groo
07-24-2012, 01:49 PM
Canon 1D4
24-105mm
Handheld
ISO 1000
f/5.0
1/5000 sec
105mm
Several weeks ago I spent a few days on Assateague Island (a barrier island off MD and VA) with my family. I noticed that there were several barn swallow nests around the bathroom off the beach. The swallows were flying back and forth, very busy bringing in food for their young ones, who seemed crammed into every nest. I thought this was as good a time as any to try my luck at these speed demons (notwithstanding the weird looks from all the bathroom visitors, the stench, and the biting flies). I first tried handholding my 500mm, as I simply can't use my wimberley head for close range birds in flight. That got tiring pretty fast and it was hard to lock focus even without the TC. The birds also passed through my frame before I could even get the focus point on them. Then I tried my trusty 400mm, but that was too hard too, as there was such a narrow field of view. And then I tried my 70-200mm which I thought would do the trick, but it simply couldn't get them in focus. (by the way this was in short episodes of time over several days--I might have spent a total of 2 hours on this). Then, finally, I tried my wide-angle, beloved, walkaround lens--the 24-105mm. And finally got some keepers. Anyway, wanted to share my findings with you all in case it might be helpful for anyone else frustrated by swallows in flight!
I don't know if this is the best of the lot, but I liked the fanned out tail, the sky, the eye contact, and the way the sand lit up the swallow's underside. This is definitely a significant crop--50% or so. NR, sharpening.
Thanks so much for looking and for any comments/critiques.
24-105mm
Handheld
ISO 1000
f/5.0
1/5000 sec
105mm
Several weeks ago I spent a few days on Assateague Island (a barrier island off MD and VA) with my family. I noticed that there were several barn swallow nests around the bathroom off the beach. The swallows were flying back and forth, very busy bringing in food for their young ones, who seemed crammed into every nest. I thought this was as good a time as any to try my luck at these speed demons (notwithstanding the weird looks from all the bathroom visitors, the stench, and the biting flies). I first tried handholding my 500mm, as I simply can't use my wimberley head for close range birds in flight. That got tiring pretty fast and it was hard to lock focus even without the TC. The birds also passed through my frame before I could even get the focus point on them. Then I tried my trusty 400mm, but that was too hard too, as there was such a narrow field of view. And then I tried my 70-200mm which I thought would do the trick, but it simply couldn't get them in focus. (by the way this was in short episodes of time over several days--I might have spent a total of 2 hours on this). Then, finally, I tried my wide-angle, beloved, walkaround lens--the 24-105mm. And finally got some keepers. Anyway, wanted to share my findings with you all in case it might be helpful for anyone else frustrated by swallows in flight!
I don't know if this is the best of the lot, but I liked the fanned out tail, the sky, the eye contact, and the way the sand lit up the swallow's underside. This is definitely a significant crop--50% or so. NR, sharpening.
Thanks so much for looking and for any comments/critiques.