Swallows on a Limb
Feb, 2014Views
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Chatter Award
Fall Award 2020
Superb Composition
Absolute Masterpiece
Top Choice
Outstanding Creativity
Jaw Dropping
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Magnificent Capture
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poksey
February 20, 2014
Thank you. The weather was chilly, and skies drab that day. So they were all huddling on one branch together. Seemed like the perfect photo op, couldn't be happier with the result :)
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Behind The Lens
Location
This picture was taken at Horicon National Wildlife Refuge in Wisconsin. It is an area known to birders for waterfowl. This area is one of my favorite spots for hiking and birdwatching. Many species of birds will stop here during migration, and a large variety are there throughout the Spring-Fall months.Time
I believe I took this image mid morning on a weekend, May 11, 2013. We had just started this trail at the time. It was a colder morning with a heavy breeze.Lighting
Nothing special this day. The sky was overcast.Equipment
At this time, I had just started to get into photography, specifically bird photography. I used the Sigma 150-500mm lens at F/8, with a Nikon D5100. I had prepared to capture birds in flight when we began the trail, so I was relying on strictly using the long lens, handheld, without a tripod.Inspiration
At the beginning of this boardwalk trail, there is a tree along the edge of the body of water. The winds were blowing a cold breeze, so these swallows were all huddled along this long branch extending over the water. I liked the image of the different shades of the swallows, as well as how they were perched so close together for warmth. The solitary branch made the birds come together like on a telephone wire.Editing
I failed to find a complimentary composition using the cameras frame size. I decided to play around with a longer, more narrow crop. This allowed the image to fill the frame, and seemed to contribute a more pleasing composition. Other than that, it was minor shadow and light adjustments.In my camera bag
Nowadays, I carry a camera bag that contains a long lens (Sigma 150-600mm), Macro lens (Tamron 90mm 2.8), Wide Angle (Tokina 11-16mm 2.8), and my most used lens (Sigma 50-150mm 2.8). I normally handhold my lenses on hikes, or when I do animal/pet photoshoots as that allows me greater freedom and spontaneity, so I can lay down or climb hills quickly when needed.Feedback
I had planned on getting images of birds in flight this day. I didn't get any of my desired images that were as impactful as this image. Sometimes it is more rewarding to take in your complete surroundings, rather than focusing specifically on one image. Also, you don't have to be constrained to using traditional frame size. Experimenting using different crop sizes can make that image you are working on, achieve the impact you may be looking for.
