Bank Swallow Family

[Stephen Stephen]

This image was created in July 2006 on Prince Edward Island. There was a small flock of bank swallows nesting in the Iron rich cliffs overlooking the beach.

This is a fairly big crop of the original image as the nest hole was very high up on the cliff. I'm not pleased that the thistle was growing at only that spot on the cliff so I really struggled with how to try and crop this image. I didn't think that cloning it out was an option. The lighting was not the best as a curve in the cliff keep this area in shadow until about 10:30 a.m.

Nevertheless it was my first time seeing and photographing this species. Comments and suggests appreciated.

Rebel XT & Sigma 50-500mm @ 500mm. ISO 200, F6.3, 1/200 sec. Fill flash used.

http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s219/Squidcan/Birds/Bankswallow09.jpg

[Robert Amoruso]

Stephen,

Nice work overcoming the obstacles here. Agree on the plant but you could not have moved in any direction that would have helped. I would say clone on the little green leaf protruding into the frame on the bottom middle.

[Manos Papadomanolakis]

Very sweet image,nice poses!!!
Agree for the green Ieaf on the bottom middle!

[Judy Lynn Malloch]

Awesome image Stephen. I love the incredible detail and pose of these little swallows. I think you did a great job and as far as the green goes it is not a huge nit for me. It all looks so natural.

[Arthur Morris]

I love the family grouping design. Good advice by RAM. Next time you are in this situation put on your Better Beamer and try some flash as main light stuff at f/18 or so with 400 ISO. That would sharpen everything up considerably.

Later and love, artie

[Stephen Stephen]

Thank you Robert, Manos, Judy and Artie. It was lovely to watch the interaction. Over the course of the few days I observed them from 1-3 adults would literally hover in front of the nest hole mouth trying to encourage the young ones to fly.

To be honest I completely missed the small green bit in the middle as I was so concerned about the overall crop. Artie I'll try the BB flash tip next time too.

[Daniel Cadieux]

Excellent family portrait Stephen. I guess there is not much you could have done with that plant at left. I really like the dangling roots coming through the red PEI dirt.

[Stephen Stephen]

Thanks Dan. Here's a repost of the image with the "little green leaf" (actually a grey-green rock) in the bottom middle cloned out and the saturation boosted a bit. Prince Edward Island soil is usually a deeper red than what is presented in the first post. I think that the green of the plant looks more like what I remember as well.

http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s219/Squidcan/Birds/Bankswallow09a.jpg