Cliff Swallow gathering mud

[Jean-Luc Vaillant]

Still not quite sure what the best way to "tell the story" of the cliff swallow gathering mud... (one land, followed immediately by a dozen in pretty much the same spot, they stick their wings up and start scooping mud like crazy, pause for 1/5s and take off like rockets).
This is probably the most "pleasing" pict of an attempt last weekend but I'm not sure trying to isolate an individual is the way to go.

Comments/advice are particularly welcome...

JLuc



50D, 500mm IS + 1.4x, 1/1250s @ f6.3, ISO 250, tripod on the ground

[Tony Whitehead]

I like the colours, sharpness and pose, Jean-Luc. I would probably crop some from the top - would it be an option to present as a landscape crop?

[Randy Stout]

Jean-Luc:

Another vote for more of a horizontal crop. Technicals good, per Tony, although I might sharpen the head/eye a bit more, as it isn't as sharp as the wing.
If you have a pose of the bill down in the mud doing the scooping, that might convey the story better, but perhaps not as pleasing of a picture.

Thanks for sharing the photo & story.

Randy

[Jean-Luc Vaillant]

I have tried an horizontal framing (see below) as well.



Problem is fitting the wings in the "extended" position without clipping them :-(

[Alfred Forns]

Hi Jean-Luc Both have different feel but like them equally Maybe the second has more impact, seems to have a little more contrast than the first !!! ... get any in flight !! .... btw only one image per post !!! re post of original are fine.

[Ramon M. Casares]

If I have to choose one, wich I don't, but if I would, I'd go with the second one, the crops works better IMO.
Great light, poses, BG, detail and exposure in both of them. Congratulations!

[Randy Stout]

Jean-Luc>
I like both the images, if you just have one to tell the story, the 2nd image tells me more. Perhaps a series of 3 or so would be the very best!

Randy