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Swallow Romance
Swallow Romance
MaryO


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Collection: A Week of Wild Things Jun 2008
Camera: Nikon D200
Lens: Sigma 100-300mm F/4.0 EX IF HSM for Nikon
Location: Burke, VA
Date: Jun 1, 2008
Aperture: f/5.6
ISO: 320
Shutter: 1/640
Galleries: Nature, Birds
Date Uploaded: Jun 2, 2008

Viewed: 374
Comments: 10
Favorites: 0

I have been trying for eons to get a good picture of a swallow. Their color is just so stunning (these are Tree Swallows). But the little buggers are fast and erratic when they fly, which is almost constantly. Yesterday I lucked out when spring and a little romance finally allowed me to get some decent shots :-)

Decided to put all these together for the whole story. And I uploaded it in a pretty large size so you can see enough detail to follow the story. In the pix on the right the female has ruffled feathers on top of her head from the male's attentions, and he just has a big head ;-)))

PP - converted from RAW, cropped, levels, increased saturation on blue/cyan slightly, dodged eyes, sized to same height, sharpened, cobbled together, added text and border, resized, sharpened.

Bigger version of the last picture in the series:

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AuthorThread
06/17/2008 07:54:20 PM
I know how impossibly annoying swallows can be to photograph. The barn swallows here have evaded my every attempt at any sort of decent photo, let alone such a chance capture as this! Great job being at the right place/right time and capturing it beautifully!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/03/2008 10:33:53 PM
i recently snapped a few pics of the same species and they are very beautiful. Great series a snaps and great line up of the shots, they flow so nicely!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/03/2008 01:16:25 PM
These are lovely.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/03/2008 12:46:34 PM
nice he stayed around for a chat afterwards :- )

Nice sequence of shots - is it a cintych or a polytich ?
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/03/2008 10:10:18 AM
That diagonal layout you've created is "to die for". Great job and it elevates your maginificent captures into a real art piece, IMO.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/02/2008 05:50:20 PM
Love the sequence. If you wouldn't mind posting it, I really would like to see a full size version of the shot on the right to have a better look at the heads as you have described them. Swallows have such gorgeous colours in their feathers.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/02/2008 01:07:58 PM
I'm glad you finally got your birds!! I really like how you put all of the shots together to tell the story.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/02/2008 12:53:23 PM
I looooove how you lined up the branch in that diagonal. This would make a fun print. Great catches!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/02/2008 07:59:22 AM
ha i love the idea! Way to be quick on the trigger to cap these little buggers =)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/02/2008 02:21:33 AM
Very nice capture and great series
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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