Pacific Swallow

rotisiao · 20th July 2008

Took this yesterday, sun was very bright and managed to sneak up on this little Pacific Swallow. First time manage to take a bird this close at 200mm. This is my 2nd attempt at birding. Tried to take it in flight but so hard to track and achieve proper focus of it. Is the lighting too harsh?

Also spotted a kite(i think) but didnt have enough reach to take it.

Comments and critique welcome!

This was my previous attempt.

knpan · 21st July 2008

this perch very famous at Chinese garden eh? yeah lighting is too harsh in first pic, blown. Dont bother about trying to catch it in flight without an af-s lens. success rate very little

rotisiao · 21st July 2008

Originally Posted by knpan

this perch very famous at Chinese garden eh? yeah lighting is too harsh in first pic, blown. Dont bother about trying to catch it in flight without an af-s lens. success rate very little

haha yeah..easy to spot terns, herons, lizards and swallows. sometimes can get sunbirds also.

Yea lighting too harsh was what i thought also any advice on how to pp it to look better? Actually I am using a Sigma 18-200 os hsm lens(i think its fast enuff?). Main problem is when i spot the bird flying close enough and when it is zoomed at 200mm, once i put my eyes on the optical viewfinder i cannot find the bird, also because the swallow is so small, i have no problems catching terns and herons in flight as they are much larger and slower. Guess i need more practice.

knpan · 22nd July 2008

hmm yeah perfert practice makes perfect. I guess once blown it is difficult to save it. It is better to be under than over because there are still details. Terns at are at the entrance lake right?

rotisiao · 22nd July 2008

Originally Posted by knpan

hmm yeah perfert practice makes perfect. I guess once blown it is difficult to save it. It is better to be under than over because there are still details. Terns at are at the entrance lake right?

ok..noted with thanks. Yea they are found at the entrance area. Sometimes very little sometimes alot, think there is a time where they feed. Any birding pro knows?

20th July 2008	#1
rotisiao Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 705	Pacific Swallow Took this yesterday, sun was very bright and managed to sneak up on this little Pacific Swallow. First time manage to take a bird this close at 200mm. This is my 2nd attempt at birding. Tried to take it in flight but so hard to track and achieve proper focus of it. Is the lighting too harsh? Also spotted a kite(i think) but didnt have enough reach to take it. Comments and critique welcome! This was my previous attempt. Last edited by rotisiao; 20th July 2008 at 11:38 PM.

21st July 2008	#2
knpan Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Singapore Posts: 2,654	Re: Pacific Swallow this perch very famous at Chinese garden eh? yeah lighting is too harsh in first pic, blown. Dont bother about trying to catch it in flight without an af-s lens. success rate very little

22nd July 2008	#4
knpan Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Singapore Posts: 2,654	Re: Pacific Swallow hmm yeah perfert practice makes perfect. I guess once blown it is difficult to save it. It is better to be under than over because there are still details. Terns at are at the entrance lake right?