5 Aerial Displays

[Loupey]

If you all haven't figured it out by now, I tend to shoot things when they're doing things

Anyhoo, here are stuff I've been working on recently. Arranged in order of increasing difficulty for me:

1) snowberry clearwing hummingbird moth (sex unknown) - 300mm
2) ruby-throated hummingbird (female) between flowers - 300mm
3) tree swallow (female) at full clip - 300mm
4) tree swallow (female) just before veering away from me - 500mm
5) dragonfly (sex unknown) stalking flying prey - 300mm + 2x TC

The 300mm f/4L IS is easy to focus fast and precisely. But the dragonfly was the most difficult catch because of the addition of the 2x (i.e. long, slow, dark) and because the dragonfly buzzed by extremely close in this shot and I almost couldn't track it at that distance.

[mn shutterbug]

Awesome collection. I do like your style.

[AgingEyes]

Good shots, but wondering if there's a color cast in the first and second ones.

I've been contemplating getting a 300mm primarily for flight shots. It seems to me it's a good focal length for that purpose, although some shoot swallows in flight with a 500mm and longer. Any thoughts ?

[almo]

If you all haven't figured it out by now, I tend to shoot things when they're doing things

Anyhoo, here are stuff I've been working on recently. Arranged in order of increasing difficulty for me:

1) snowberry clearwing hummingbird moth (sex unknown) - 300mm
2) ruby-throated hummingbird (female) between flowers - 300mm
3) tree swallow (female) at full clip - 300mm
4) tree swallow (female) just before veering away from me - 500mm
5) dragonfly (sex unknown) stalking flying prey - 300mm + 2x TC

The 300mm f/4L IS is easy to focus fast and precisely. But the dragonfly was the most difficult catch because of the addition of the 2x (i.e. long, slow, dark) and because the dragonfly buzzed by extremely close in this shot and I almost couldn't track it at that distance.

You are my hero.

[Cassie1]

Wonderful images as always Loupey.

It's great seeing birds/moths that we don't have in the UK, so the image of the snowberry clearwing hummingbird moth is a treat to see, as are the hummingbirds.

I really like the background in #4, the tree swallow is pin sharp but the background gives the feeling of movement. Love it.

Cassie.

[scott-devon]

Amazing shots Loupey, your ability to catch things in flight is astounding.

I agree with Cassie the background in 4 really gives movement to the shot. The catch light in the swallow's eye also makes that shot stand out.

[Loupey]

Awesome collection. I do like your style.

Thank you. With what little diversity we have in metro-Columbus, I've got to have them doing something

[Loupey]

Good shots, but wondering if there's a color cast in the first and second ones.

Most probably. My uncalibrated laptop screen typically has me all over the place. I won't know the final corrections until I start printing proofs. Thanks for noticing - I will definitely watch keenly during final processing.

I've been contemplating getting a 300mm primarily for flight shots. It seems to me it's a good focal length for that purpose, although some shoot swallows in flight with a 500mm and longer. Any thoughts ?

It depends on one's target species and shooting location. I know you like to shoot swallows and you know that they are all over the place - from far far away to sometimes whizzing by so close that you can hear them cutting through the air. My shooting locations have small ponds which are only an acre or two in size. But even then, I have to track and wait for them to get close enough to fire. I find that the 300mm is OK if I'm lucky. The 500mm is bit too long. So a 400mm would probably be a more ideal focal length for that purpose.

With small birds, the problem with 500mm+ lenses is that it is difficult to keep the subject in the viewfinder as they fly towards the camera. The other problem is size. I find the 500mm to be really difficult to jerk around fast enough due to its size and mass. I have better success rates with the 300mm+2x combo because it is extremely light and fast focusing. However, the image quality isn't to the level as the 500mm.

[Loupey]

You are my hero.

You're too kind. Everyone here is my inspiration. Thank you for saying.

[Loupey]

Wonderful images as always Loupey.

It's great seeing birds/moths that we don't have in the UK, so the image of the snowberry clearwing hummingbird moth is a treat to see, as are the hummingbirds.

I really like the background in #4, the tree swallow is pin sharp but the background gives the feeling of movement. Love it.

Cassie.

Thank you, Cassie. I love hummingbird moths and I'm still working on getting a more intimate shot of one. A shot with an ultra wide angle lens up really close is what I have in mind but they are really flighty so we'll see

That swallow shot is my favorite to date. Difficult to get the sun, background, and, of course, the bird to all come together when they are zooming around like they do. I'm still trying to get a shot where the wings are more visible and there is a bug about 3 inches in front of the bill

[Loupey]

Amazing shots Loupey, your ability to catch things in flight is astounding.

I agree with Cassie the background in 4 really gives movement to the shot. The catch light in the swallow's eye also makes that shot stand out.

Thank you very much for the kind words. Swallows are fun and extremely frustrating at the same time.

[Loupey]

For those others who may be lurking and aren't shooting because they feel they don't have the proper equipment, I'd like to add that these were all manually focused (of course!) and two of them (#3 and #5) where shot with a slow camera (Canon 5D).

The most important tip is to be out in the field as much as possible. Even if the lighting conditions aren't optimal, you may capture a unique behavior.

The more time you spend, the luckier you get.

[AgingEyes]

I know you like to shoot swallows

Hey, inspired by you Loupey ! Have been practising...hopeful I'll get my luck one day

and you know that they are all over the place - from far far away to sometimes whizzing by so close that you can hear them cutting through the air.

I was shooting with a 85 f1.8 last Sunday. But I was standing about 10 -15 feet to a nest though. I might try a 17mm next time Nah, probably a 105 mm macro first.

My shooting locations have small ponds which are only an acre or two in size. But even then, I have to track and wait for them to get close enough to fire. I find that the 300mm is OK if I'm lucky.

In the current edition of the Nature Photographer magazine, it has an article on shooting purple martin in flight. The guy found 300 f2.8 ideal for him. One thing about 300mm I can think of is it's smaller than 400, 500, and 600. That means you can carry it here and there easier. With, say, a 1.4 tele, you have a 400 right there.

The 500mm is bit too long. So a 400mm would probably be a more ideal focal length for that purpose. With small birds, the problem with 500mm+ lenses is that it is difficult to keep the subject in the viewfinder as they fly towards the camera. The other problem is size. I find the 500mm to be really difficult to jerk around fast enough due to its size and mass. I have better success rates with the 300mm+2x combo because it is extremely light and fast focusing. However, the image quality isn't to the level as the 500mm.

I've seen swallow in flight shots taken with a 600 hand-held. Damn ! Not sure how much was cropped. But the details are very good. Don't know how the hell they could keep track of the small bird with lenses with so narrow an angle of view. :mad2:

[Loupey]

...In the current edition of the Nature Photographer magazine, it has an article on shooting purple martin in flight. The guy found 300 f2.8 ideal for him.

Hmm, I'll have to check out that article at the bookstore. Did he mention any useful information on technique? I've never shot any purple martins so I don't know how different their flight characteristics are. But I imagine some of the tactics would be similar.

...I've seen swallow in flight shots taken with a 600 hand-held. Damn ! Not sure how much was cropped. But the details are very good. Don't know how the hell they could keep track of the small bird with lenses with so narrow an angle of view. :mad2:

One of the hidden advantages of using a 2x on a 300mm is that the diameter is smaller and one can point the lens more accurately before looking through the viewfinder. I'm still having a hard time looking over the snout of the 500mm and finding the subject in the viewfinder right away.

And I'm completely blind to anything flying in from my right side. The larger lens completely blocks my peripheral vision of my left eye.

[AgingEyes]

Hmm, I'll have to check out that article at the bookstore. Did he mention any useful information on technique? I've never shot any purple martins so I don't know how different their flight characteristics are. But I imagine some of the tactics would be similar.

Aah...nothing you've never heard about, I think. Learn about the bird's behavior, shoot near the nest, pay attention to the wind and light direction, etc. The photographer's name is Arthur Peslak. He tracks when the bird is far out and he uses fill flash. He shoots with 300mm f2.8 on a 1D M III.

[victorhuang20]

im assuming you shot the others with the 40d right?

[paulnj]

your first swallow is actually an unsexable juvenile ID'd by the amount of white on the neck band

great stuff loupey!

[Canon_Bob]

Great work as usual Loupey! The master of the flying Dragonfly :-)

Anyhoo....Regarding discussions around big glass and flight shooting. I have a bit of experience here from several perspectives. First - Loupey is spot on with is shortcomings of the big glass and flight shooting. When you nail one, it's sweet....but you'll miss more than you get. Biggest problem was pointed out by Loupey - Can't find them in the viewfinder.

My favorite BIF setup hands down is my 300mm f/4 on my 1DsMII body. A close second is my 100-400 on the 1DsMII. The 40d does a great job too, but the 1D body is far superior. I actually like the 40d/70-200 f/2.8L combo quite well for BIF. All that said, my BEST combo is the 300mm f/4L on the 1DsMII body.

[Loupey]

Aah...nothing you've never heard about, I think. Learn about the bird's behavior, shoot near the nest, pay attention to the wind and light direction, etc. The photographer's name is Arthur Peslak. He tracks when the bird is far out and he uses fill flash. He shoots with 300mm f2.8 on a 1D M III.

I bought a copy and the article is interesting. Although I don't agree with the part about setting up just outside a bird box (his images are all similar and not very "flying"), that one with the dragonfly is great!

Thanks for the info.

[Loupey]

im assuming you shot the others with the 40d right?

Yes. Are you still waiting for the 5DmkII to come out? The image quality out of the 5D is terrific. I bought my in March for under $2K. The same dealer in town has them for $2,150 now. I suspect the Mark II version would come in a couple hundred over that. But how long can you wait

[Loupey]

...All that said, my BEST combo is the 300mm f/4L on the 1DsMII body.

Well at least I have one of the two pieces of the puzzle - just not the right one

Thanks for chiming in, Bob! With the smaller birds in my area, I can't seem to fill the frame often enough with just the 300mm on my 1.6 crop bodies. I think a 1.4x TC on the 300mm would be more ideal in this habitat - even with the 40D.

For aerial shots only, I think the Canon 400mm f/5.6L would be my first choice if I were starting over. Small, lightweight, and fast enough. I don't use IS when I'm tracking fast, erratically moving subjects anyway.

[Loupey]

Two more. The first is a big time crop so my apologies for the IQ.

Both with the 500mm f/4L IS on the 40D. Monopod mounted, manually focused.

[Eric D]

Awesome set of photos!!!