I created this image last month. It's the second year tha I've noted a pari of tree swallows nesting the centre of this hollow fence post. The nest hole entrence is on the very top of the post and goes straight down about 30cm (12 inches).
Canon 40D and Sigma 50-500mm at 500mm (+12mm extension tube)
Exposure: 1/320 sec, Aperture: f/8.0, ISO Equiv.: 400 Manual settings non Flahs
Image cropped to about 95% of full frame. I like the HA and the colours on the bird and the BG but perhaps the whites on the bird and the light greys on the post could use some more work. The perch is very large but that is where the nest hole is.
Nice find (again!). Exposure looks good. Great BG. Not crazy about the OOF part of the post in LRC, but not too bad. Did you return later on to get mama and papa returning to the nest with their bills full of bugs?
Very nice EXP control, BG and the perch is what it is. I
'mm not crazy about the composition, since the bird is looking slightly to our left, my feeling is that there is too much negative space to the right of the image. Maybe getting rid of the two last panes of the branch and adding a bit of canvas on left if you have, it could look stronger IMO.
+1 on the comments so far. Also, could you lighten the area around the eyes? I'm looking for more seperation between the eyes and the dark areas around the head.
Thank you Dan, Fabs, Stuart and Colin for your comments.
Dan unfortunately I've not been back again. Perhaps this weekend.
Fabs you're right about the bird's position. The female had been on the male's left (hence the empty space) and had just gone down the nest hole. I had not repositioned for the male. :o
Anyway I'm sure that I can re-crop it and I'll do a repost in the next day or so.
Male Tree Swallow
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