Tree swallow

[Vladimir Ivanov]

http://photo.izanoza.com/content/web/2009/2009-03-22_12292802_1D3_900.jpg

Tree swallow. Middle Creek WMA, Pennsylvania, USA.
Canon EOS-1D Mark III + 300/2.8L (1/3200, f/4, ISO 200).

It is very hard to get a sharp shot of these speeders in flight... Would like to get bird close without cropping next time.

[Ben Harris]

Nice shot. How much did you crop?

The only thing I might suggest is playing with the RAW a little and try to get a little definition around the eye. Don't know what you have to work with, though.

[Fabs Forns]

To get the bird closer you may have to go into close focus, since they are so small. Agree on getting more definition in the eye and I like the inclusion of the clouds.

[Vladimir Ivanov]

Nice shot. How much did you crop?

The only thing I might suggest is playing with the RAW a little and try to get a little definition around the eye. Don't know what you have to work with, though.

Not so much cropping here, 2/3 of the frame is still here I think. Eye definition is nice to have, but too hard to get :(, it is almost nonexistent in original image.

[Axel Hildebrandt]

Not so much cropping here, 2/3 of the frame is still here I think. Eye definition is nice to have, but too hard to get :(, it is almost nonexistent in original image.

You could try to adjust the curves for the blacks to get some details out of it. Pose and clouds look good.

[Vladimir Ivanov]

To get the bird closer you may have to go into close focus, since they are so small.
Fabs, the problem is not to get closer, problem is to catch it in frame on such speed :)

[Fabs Forns]

Fabs, the problem is not to get closer, problem is to catch it in frame on such speed :)

Believe me, I know, I do Purple Martins, also a Swallow.

[Vladimir Ivanov]

You could try to adjust the curves for the blacks to get some details out of it. Pose and clouds look good.
Thanks Axel. I've tried curves and didn't like a result... looks very artificial. May be t try one more time later.

[Nick Palmieri]

Been working on these guys as well. Not easy...I would also add flash with a better beamer...those dark eye areas are always hard to see

[Scott Frye]

Too small in the frame for my tastes -- I had to look really hard tell which was the front of the bird - and had a hard time picking out the head -- was a good job getting one of these speedsters in the frame

[Harshad Barve]

This one is one amazing tree swallow scape , excellent image
TFS