Tree Swallow in Flight

[Steven Kersting]

The main point of this image was just to capture one of these suckers in flight....
I think I managed 2 good images in an hour's time.
800mm, 1/2000, f/8, ISO 1100, +1 ev, Monopod and shoulder stock.


I have another edit in portrait orientation which includes the bird's reflection in the water, but the space between is rather large.

[Randy Stout]

Steve:

I have had a about the same luck with these darting rockets. Great fun to try, have to love the journey, not the destination.

He looks sharp and well exposed, nice banking pose.

Would tone down/remove the yellow streak at top.

I might be tempted to try a pano crop to play up the sense of rapid flight.


Keep working them!


Cheers

Randy

[Steven Kersting]

Ha! I missed the yellow reed.
It's amazing the things you can fail to see in your own images....

[Doug Brown]

Definitely a tough subject Steven! Sharpness looks good, and you got great wing position in this frame. Agree with Randy's suggestions above. The monopod/shoulder stock combo sounds a little awkward; what lens are you using?

[Arthur Morris]

Are you using the Canon 800mm on a shoulder stock? You succeeded in your goal to create a relatively sharp flight image but with the bird so small in the frame and the cluttered, uneven BKGR this one does not float my boat.

[Steven Kersting]

The lens I'm using is the Sigma 300-800 f/5.6. The shoulder mount is something I fabbed up. I use it when stalking, with monopod when moving frequently, sometimes I mount it on my Gimbal when stationary (or just remove it).

Arthur, thanks for the critique. I think I'll try one more edit, but I'm not really into spending a lot of time "saving" an image.

It'll stay in my "keepers" anyways, at least until I manage to do better.

[Dumay de Boulle]

Well done to get one in flight...But there is no detail on the bird and it is so small it is lost in the frame...Lots of noise visible and the busy BG does not work for me...TFS

[Steven Kersting]

I didn't really feel it was that small in the frame...hmm. Might not help that this is downsized by about 50% (to meet forum rules). There is a bit more detail at full size. I could have cropped tighter, but I thought the bird needed room to move.

[Steven Kersting]

Ok, here's an quick attempt at a save...

Took about 30% out of the middle, cloned out the reeds, increased luminance of green channel to reduce distraction of highlight, and reduced luminance noise.

this is about 3/4 size


Still not great, but better IMO.
Thanks.

[Arthur Morris]

Arthur, thanks for the critique. I think I'll try one more edit, but I'm not really into spending a lot of time "saving" an image. It'll stay in my "keepers" anyways, at least until I manage to do better.

Then you need to spend more time producing quality images :) Good plan on getting something better.