More Tree Swallows - This Time a 2 for 1 Special.

[Daniel Cadieux]

I was happy when two swallows decided to perch on the same fence post (lured with audio). One of the two had its head turned away most of the time, as if they each had their side of the post to watch (which didn't make for an enticing photograph), but thankfully at one point they both had their faces turned towards the front :S3:

With the two birds not perfectly aligned on the plane of focus (one a bit closer to me than the other) I stopped down the apertutre more than usual to ensure both birds being tack sharp.

Canon 30D + 100-400L @285mm, aperture priority, evaluative metering, 1/200s., f/10, ISO 800, +1.3 EC, natural light, handheld (from car).

[Stu Bowie]

Hey Dan, cool poses from both swallow's, and I like the soft light. Lovely blues on the swallows, stands out nicely from your lighter BG. I actually dont mind this fence post, its pretty weathered. Good call on the F stop.:w3

[Menno Schaefer]

You could get very close to this two swallows, sharpnes is good and the light works well. The heads look a green?

[Peter Hawrylyshyn]

Daniel
Lovely composition and well thought out. The soft colors of the bkgd complement the birds and post. Good exposure control to keep detail in the whites

I'm curious - what did you choose to focus on? DOF is supposedly 1/3 in front and 2/3 behind focus point

Nicely done

[Dave Leroy]

As well as ha's and dof I really like the nice space provided in the composition. The old weathered fence post and two swallows have just the right amount of room for me.

Dave

[Daniel Cadieux]

Daniel
Lovely composition and well thought out. The soft colors of the bkgd complement the birds and post. Good exposure control to keep detail in the whites

I'm curious - what did you choose to focus on? DOF is supposedly 1/3 in front and 2/3 behind focus point

Nicely done

Thanks guys!:S3:

Peter, I just figured the swallow to my left was a bit closer than the other so I focus/recomposed (central focus point) on it and knew f/10 would be enough to cover both birds and the perch.

Menno, the plumage of this species is quite iridescent and often shows tints of green in it, depending on light quality and angle.

[Steve Maxson]

Hi Daniel. I like the weathered wooden post, the overcast light, and the clean background. Your patience paid off giving you good poses and head angles on both birds and you did a good job getting both in sharp focus. Well done.

[Craig Brelsford]

Looks as if you had some soft sunlight to work with, a good thing to keep from burning the whites of the swallows. You knew what you were after (swallows looking in the same direction, both birds in focus), and you knew how to get it.

[Norm Dulak]

Very nice Dan. And good thinking in the field to stop down the lens a bit to ensure sharpness. Even so, you maintained a pleasing background that really sets your subject off nicely. The composition is excellent. And congratulations on your patience, to get the two birds in a good pose.

[Joe Senzatimore]

Composition and light are magnificent. Great timing on your part.:bg3:

[Tom Rambaut]

This is very nice - the post does not look too big with the two birds and the one bird slighly higher than the other as well as both looking into the space to the right makes this a very easy image on the eye.

I have mucked up simular senarios by not having the correct f stop to get both birds in focus. This has been useful as an educational image.

[arash_hazeghi]

very nice! two is always better than one!