Avian - 1st HM

Gallery: EPA 2014Posted June 13, 20141,106 views23 comments

Skimming the Surface

Haven't posted in a while, but I've gotten out into the park to take photos as often as I can. Fire season is starting out slow here at the West Yellowstone smoke jumping base, so I was able to spend last weekend hiking around, and I took this image from a small bridge in the park under which hundreds of swallows were nesting. They were continuously streaming in and out, so I preset the focus and tried to pan with them as they flew under me. This was my favorite closer-up image, and though the focus could be sharper, it conveys well how amazing it was to watch hundreds of these birds flying just above the surface of the water beneath me.

Canon 5d Mark iii, 70-200mm f/4 lens, 1/500 sec at f/4, ISO 640, handheld

Comments

23 comments

Comment posted by Jerry Austin on June 13, 2014 at 11:33 PM

Awesome capture. Very unique. Well done.

Registered on January 6, 2012, 651 Posts, 3448 Comments

Comment posted by Jim Erhardt on June 14, 2014 at 6:03 AM

I really like this! The shadows and background give it a "photo art" feel, but once I read your description of how the photo was created, it made me smile even more.

Well seen, well done!

Registered on November 1, 2003, 245 Posts, 2421 Comments

Comment posted by Hans Overduin on June 14, 2014 at 6:07 AM

Wonderful capture ! Handy bridge

. Love it ! Hans

Registered on August 31, 2011, 491 Posts, 3807 Comments

Comment posted by Sharon Hallowell on June 14, 2014 at 6:58 AM

Artistic shot, very well seen and captured! Great job panning with theses speedsters! Sharon

Registered on November 1, 2003, 392 Posts, 4810 Comments

Comment posted by Keith Bauer on June 14, 2014 at 9:06 AM

This is really cool!! Excellent vision and technique to pull this off. It is really art at the next level. Very, very nice

Registered on November 20, 2003, 458 Posts, 4836 Comments

Comment posted by Ronald Murphy on June 14, 2014 at 9:40 AM

This is great! A nice abstract quality.

Registered on March 13, 2012, 279 Posts, 975 Comments

Comment posted by Kathy Barnhart on June 14, 2014 at 1:27 PM

This is an excellent capture of a very quick-moving subject. Love the shadows and the sense of flying in formation. I think the focus is sharp enough in enough birds that it makes an interesting and different image.

Registered on November 11, 2011, 404 Posts, 1639 Comments

Comment posted by Bill Fach on June 14, 2014 at 2:26 PM

Thomas: What a thoroughly cool shot! Great vision and IMO a spectacular capture.>=))>

Registered on November 1, 2003, 1805 Posts, 26981 Comments

Comment posted by Patrick O'Healy on June 14, 2014 at 3:23 PM

Thomas,
very interesting image. I like your fire fighting images too.

Registered on March 13, 2011, 326 Posts, 1679 Comments

Comment posted by Jim Zablotny on June 14, 2014 at 5:02 PM

Very cool--This image can fit either in Avian or Photo-art. The abstraction is wonderful with the black shadows and bright flashes of color from the backs of the cliff swallows. Also, please have a safe fire-fighting season..............................Jim

Registered on January 17, 2004, 705 Posts, 3594 Comments

Comment posted by Marina Scarr on June 14, 2014 at 10:12 PM

You're really onto something here, Tom. This is one kick butt image. It's nice to see you were thinking outside of the box. The water was perfect for your reflections here.

Registered on March 6, 2014, 11 Posts, 104 Comments

Comment posted by Roel Wijtmans on June 15, 2014 at 12:35 AM

That is a very interesting picture! The shadows really add something extra. Very well seen!

Registered on September 30, 2012, 116 Posts, 2257 Comments

Comment posted by Charlie VanTassel on June 16, 2014 at 1:04 AM

Very cool. Just the right amount of color too.

Registered on October 18, 2006, 644 Posts, 4801 Comments

Comment posted by Jim DeWitt on June 16, 2014 at 1:37 AM

Well seen and brilliantly executed. Perfectly natural and surreal at the same time.

Registered on August 28, 2006, 1240 Posts, 8506 Comments

Comment posted by Max Waugh on June 16, 2014 at 12:17 PM

Really cool perspective here, Thomas. I'm not sure if it's the same bridge I'm thinking of, but I had a similar experience shooting them on a foggy morning a couple weeks ago. Did not even think about trying to get the reflections like this. Well done.

Max

Registered on September 26, 2008, 428 Posts, 2329 Comments

Comment posted by Douglas Graham on June 19, 2014 at 7:54 AM

Its all been said so Ill just say nice job here. Great image.

Registered on May 14, 2009, 123 Posts, 522 Comments

Comment posted by Ralph Kerr on June 19, 2014 at 11:29 AM

Congratulations on one fantastic photo. I'll "ditto" the comments of others rather than repeat, but I compliment you on your creativity with this photo. Looks like a squadron of mosquito hunters.
Be safe fighting fires.

Registered on January 30, 2007, 369 Posts, 852 Comments

Comment posted by Ken Smith on June 19, 2014 at 10:33 PM

That is cool…special shot! Congrats on well deserved WP!

Registered on September 5, 2008, 449 Posts, 2444 Comments

Comment posted by Paul Breitkreuz on June 20, 2014 at 1:48 PM

Gorgeous photo here, Thomas......Congrats on the WP too.

Registered on February 25, 2006, 525 Posts, 8448 Comments

Comment posted by Ray Whitt on June 21, 2014 at 12:22 PM

Congratulation, stunning image! Unique and creative, great work.

Ray

Registered on May 27, 2011, 92 Posts, 2619 Comments

Comment posted by Albert Darmo on June 25, 2014 at 10:28 PM

Hi thomas

Congrats on a very original avian capture.. and the WP win

Albert Darmo
Canada

Registered on November 25, 2008, 1386 Posts, 11978 Comments

Comment posted by Hans Overduin on January 9, 2015 at 5:55 AM

Wow, hadn't seen this when originally posted ! Wonderful shot and well deserved HM ! Cheers, Hans

Registered on August 31, 2011, 491 Posts, 3807 Comments

Comment posted by Sanjay Sundaram on January 10, 2015 at 9:52 PM

Congratulations Thomas for the well deserved EPA. I always enjoy seeing your work!

Sanjay

Registered on April 9, 2013, 107 Posts, 725 Comments