Results 1 to 11 of 11

Thread: Barn Swallow Coming In For a Drink

  1. #1
    Lifetime Member Doug Brown's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Albuquerque, NM
    Posts
    11,879
    Threads
    917
    Thank You Posts

    Default Barn Swallow Coming In For a Drink

    Here's a frame that I've been trying to get for quite a few years. I was at a local marsh the other day photographing White-faced Ibis and a variety of other birds, when I noticed a couple of Barn Swallows skimming the water to get a drink. I dialed in a much faster shutter speed than I was previously using, and shifted my concentration to the swallows. Everything came together for me on this frame, and I went home with a smile on my face after the shoot!

    Canon 1Dx, 600 mm + 1.4x, f/6.3, 1/4000, ISO 800, manual exposure, hand held

    Name:  20160829-_A0R2832-Barn-Swallow-16x10.jpg
Views: 137
Size:  287.7 KB
    Upcoming Workshops: Bosque del Apache 2019, Ecuador 2020 (details coming soon)
    Website -
    Facebook - 500px

  2. #2
    BPN Member Tim Foltz's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2016
    Location
    Southern CA
    Posts
    1,434
    Threads
    197
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Doug, sweet shot and a hard one to get. Nice and sharp , good HA, wing position and action.

    -Tim

  3. #3
    Super Moderator arash_hazeghi's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    San Francisco, California, United States
    Posts
    18,545
    Threads
    1,318
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    splendid, one of the toughest subjects to get in flight
    New! Sony Capture One Pro Guide 2022
    https://arihazeghiphotography.com/Gu.../Sony_C1P.html


    ------------------------------------------------
    Visit my blog
    http://www.arihazeghiphotography.com/blog

  4. #4
    Lifetime Member David Salem's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    Riverside, CA
    Posts
    6,664
    Threads
    276
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Like I mentioned to you today, this is one I have been trying to get for years also. I have a few decent ones but not as nice as this. The wide open beak with the tounge showing really makes it for me along with the nice reflection. Great capture Doug.
    Come join me for a Custom Raptor Workshop starting this November 2019- January 2020.
    P.M. me to inquire on dates, pricing and availabilities. Thank You.
    www.davidsalemphotography.com

  5. #5
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    Germany
    Posts
    379
    Threads
    43
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by arash_hazeghi View Post
    splendid, one of the toughest subjects to get in flight
    Yes, absolutely right. This is high class !!

  6. #6
    Lifetime Member gail bisson's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    Nova Scotia
    Posts
    12,731
    Threads
    910
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Have to agree with all of the above! I have been trying for 5 years to get this kind of a shot!
    Nice and sharp with great open beak and wing position.
    I can understand why you left with a smile on your face!
    Gail

  7. #7
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Oct 2014
    Location
    Staten Island, New York
    Posts
    3,124
    Threads
    260
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    I have mixed emotions about this shot and think I will be the one to have opposite views. On the one hand the action part is perfect. The open mouth and tongue out is just great. Wing position too as well as the reflection of the bird. Crazy good for such hard to capture flying rockets.

    On the other hand there are issues. First off the sun angle was not just right and you have a large shadow under the wing. But the major issue for me is that the colors of the bird and the exposure of the bird are off. I think mostly due to the light. Barn Swallows are much more of an irredescent bluish purple than this pic. The breast is a stronger orange as well. Your bird almost looks like it has a green cast to me. Checked on my computer and my phone and both show the same. The combination of the brightness of the bird, the colors being off and the large shadow under the wing are unfortunate as the action is just killer.

    Question was this using daylight white balance?

  8. #8
    Lifetime Member Doug Brown's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Albuquerque, NM
    Posts
    11,879
    Threads
    917
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Isaac Grant View Post
    I have mixed emotions about this shot and think I will be the one to have opposite views. On the one hand the action part is perfect. The open mouth and tongue out is just great. Wing position too as well as the reflection of the bird. Crazy good for such hard to capture flying rockets.

    On the other hand there are issues. First off the sun angle was not just right and you have a large shadow under the wing. But the major issue for me is that the colors of the bird and the exposure of the bird are off. I think mostly due to the light. Barn Swallows are much more of an irredescent bluish purple than this pic. The breast is a stronger orange as well. Your bird almost looks like it has a green cast to me. Checked on my computer and my phone and both show the same. The combination of the brightness of the bird, the colors being off and the large shadow under the wing are unfortunate as the action is just killer.

    Question was this using daylight white balance?
    Hi Isaac. Thanks for your honest critique; that's how we do things on BPN! I think what we're looking at here is a juvenile bird, and that's why the colors aren't what you normally expect (although I don't see a greenish cast). I did use daylight WB for the shot.
    Upcoming Workshops: Bosque del Apache 2019, Ecuador 2020 (details coming soon)
    Website -
    Facebook - 500px

  9. #9
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Oct 2014
    Location
    Staten Island, New York
    Posts
    3,124
    Threads
    260
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Trust me Doug it was very hard to have a critique of such a good flight shot. Not sure this is a juvenile. I did consider that but the pattern of the feathers on back and breast and head that I can see look like an adult. Could be wrong of course. Perhaps the problem is more a problem that I have with daylght WB. I had this conversation briefly with Artie on another picture that he posted. Often I find that it gives the whole photo a bluish cast or some artificial cast and that it does not give true and accurate rendition of the bird.

  10. #10
    Lifetime Member Doug Brown's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Albuquerque, NM
    Posts
    11,879
    Threads
    917
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    I believe that in this case the colors are accurate. And I'm certain that it's a juvenile Barn Swallow. Here's a later frame from the same sequence; in it you can clearly see the forked tail feathers and the white band across the tail.

    Name:  20160829-_A0R2834.jpg
Views: 56
Size:  279.2 KB
    Upcoming Workshops: Bosque del Apache 2019, Ecuador 2020 (details coming soon)
    Website -
    Facebook - 500px

  11. #11
    Lifetime Member Doug Brown's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Albuquerque, NM
    Posts
    11,879
    Threads
    917
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Appreciate the comments everyone!
    Upcoming Workshops: Bosque del Apache 2019, Ecuador 2020 (details coming soon)
    Website -
    Facebook - 500px

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Web Analytics