[Linda D.]

Is it possible that the definition of insanity is trying to photograph rough-winged swallows on the hunt? Let's just say a lot of images were deleted in the making of this set. Still, it was excellent practice for learning to use the 500PF.

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I love the beads of spray that arc around the bird as it shakes off water from a nabbed insect.

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I could have used more of the fickle sun. A lot of my pictures had too much noise to be salvageable. Or perhaps I should have tried a slower shutter speed?

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[JAS]

Wonderful shots!. Well captured and presented. What matters that a lot went to the delete key. You got some great ones. All of my swalllow photos are of perched subjects. Hopefully this year!

 

[Butlerkid]

Excellent set of images! It seems your shutter speed was right on.....as was your exposure. I found the D500 pretty unforgiving on higher ISO's.....still did you try NR s/w?

 

[Linda D.]

Excellent set of images! It seems your shutter speed was right on.....as was your exposure. I found the D500 pretty unforgiving on higher ISO's.....still did you try NR s/w?

Thanks! I'm not sure what NR s/w is. I used Topaz DeNoise to clean up this set. The others didn't seem worth the effort, although I should probably make another pass through to see if there's anything worth experimenting on.

 

[Linda D.]

Wonderful shots!. Well captured and presented. What matters that a lot went to the delete key. You got some great ones. All of my swalllow photos are of perched subjects. Hopefully this year!

Thanks, @JAS. I was pleased to have the opportunity to spend that much time practicing, although my wrists still hurt from supporting the lens.

 

[jeffnles1]

Nicely done! It's like trying to photograph a bullet only a bullet that can change directions at random.

 

[Linda D.]

Nicely done! It's like trying to photograph a bullet only a bullet that can change directions at random.

That describes it perfectly! What really felt unfair was when the little bullets not only changed directions but planes, suddenly flying up into the air.

 

[Butlerkid]

Thanks! I'm not sure what NR s/w is. I used Topaz DeNoise to clean up this set. The others didn't seem worth the effort, although I should probably make another pass through to see if there's anything worth experimenting on.

Good choice. I used DxO Prime NR for many years, but lately have found Topaz DeNoise a wee bit better. FWIW.....I found the noise in the D500 to be difficult to work with.....sharp angular shapes..... maybe it was just me.

 

[KirstyM]

Fabulous set… they look like (very similar to) what, in the UK, we call sand martins…. And those are the bane of my life
just brown enough all over to make grabbing focus of the random bullet even harder!

 

[NorthernFocus]

That first image is really excellent. Nicely done.

 

[Annamaria]

The first two are my favorites. Great job catching these bullets.

 

[Linda D.]

@KirstyM, they do look quite similar to sand martins. And I know exactly what you mean by bane!
@NorthernFocus and @Annamaria, thanks! Those are my favorites as well.

 

[Stephen Berger]

nice!