bcaress
New member
I need advice. How the heck do you get a picture of a swallow in flight? I tried to follow them until I felt like one of the three stooges and was dizzy to boot. All suggestions will be appreciated.
Shooting Swallows
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eft
Well-known member
- Observe behaviour. Look for opportunities where their movement slows and is more predictable eg landing on a perch, grabbing a drink from open water etc
- Use fast shutter speed, depending on the effect you are looking for
- Pre focus on where they will be
- Start from further away, even if it means a heavy crop, and then move closer to subject as your comfort level increases
- If your camera has pre-burst capture, try to utilize it
- Keep expectations reasonable because swallows are not the easiest subject
- Enjoy the journey
BlackRockArt
Well-known member
Welcome to the club !
Getting good shots of swallows-in-flight is little challenging, the swallows are fly catchers, it can change the flight path at will, your best chance of getting a good shots are during the mating season, or feeding time, consider using Wide Area / Full Area focuse, the AF-C focus sensitivity on the high end, finally, MANY practice.
Good luck.
Oliver
PS: a coupe of mine.
Green Swallow Mating
Getting good shots of swallows-in-flight is little challenging, the swallows are fly catchers, it can change the flight path at will, your best chance of getting a good shots are during the mating season, or feeding time, consider using Wide Area / Full Area focuse, the AF-C focus sensitivity on the high end, finally, MANY practice.
Good luck.
Oliver
PS: a coupe of mine.
Green Swallow Mating
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BlackRockArt
Well-known member
PS: also, becoming familiar with the behaviour. Once I found the swallows were taking dive-bath in the pond, I waited for a while to get the shots.
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Kadaver81
Member
Get a fast shutterspeed and try to keep the Bird in frame. Make lots of photos, and expect there are not much keepers. Just keep on trying 
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arbitrage
Well-known member
As fast as SS as light levels allow.
IS/VR/OSS.....OFF
Highest FPS your camera has.
Usually easier to use a high MP body and shoot a bit wider to make use of cropping
Best to use a stacked sensor MILC or DSLR. The only non-stacked sensor MILC I'd want to use is R5.
Practice, practice, practice
But all that said, the number one technique that has allowed me to get good swallow shots with all sorts of cameras is having a camera/lens system that allows DMF. Manual focus to help out the AF is what gets me my success with swallows. Any Canon DSLR or RF with latest FW. Any Nikon DSLR or Z. For Sony only 70-200/2.8II, 400GM, 600GM OR A7RV body with new DMF software option (although A7RV not really a great swallow camera).
Here is just a small taste of some swallows over the past few years with a number of systems....
Canon R5:
August 21, 2021-6.jpg by Bird/Wildlife Photos, on Flickr
Canon R3:
April 01, 2022-4.jpg by Bird/Wildlife Photos, on Flickr
D500:
April 02, 2020.jpg by Bird/Wildlife Photos, on Flickr
D850:
April 12, 2019.jpg by Bird/Wildlife Photos, on Flickr
Z9:
March 26, 2023-2.jpg by Bird/Wildlife Photos, on Flickr
A7RIV:
April 05, 2020.jpg by Bird/Wildlife Photos, on Flickr
A9:
June 28, 2019.jpg by Bird/Wildlife Photos, on Flickr
A9II:
May 22, 2020.jpg by Bird/Wildlife Photos, on Flickr
A7RV:
April 30, 2023-2.jpg by Bird/Wildlife Photos, on Flickr
A1:
July 11, 2021.jpg by Bird/Wildlife Photos, on Flickr
IS/VR/OSS.....OFF
Highest FPS your camera has.
Usually easier to use a high MP body and shoot a bit wider to make use of cropping
Best to use a stacked sensor MILC or DSLR. The only non-stacked sensor MILC I'd want to use is R5.
Practice, practice, practice
But all that said, the number one technique that has allowed me to get good swallow shots with all sorts of cameras is having a camera/lens system that allows DMF. Manual focus to help out the AF is what gets me my success with swallows. Any Canon DSLR or RF with latest FW. Any Nikon DSLR or Z. For Sony only 70-200/2.8II, 400GM, 600GM OR A7RV body with new DMF software option (although A7RV not really a great swallow camera).
Here is just a small taste of some swallows over the past few years with a number of systems....
Canon R5:
August 21, 2021-6.jpg by Bird/Wildlife Photos, on FlickrCanon R3:
April 01, 2022-4.jpg by Bird/Wildlife Photos, on FlickrD500:
April 02, 2020.jpg by Bird/Wildlife Photos, on FlickrD850:
April 12, 2019.jpg by Bird/Wildlife Photos, on FlickrZ9:
March 26, 2023-2.jpg by Bird/Wildlife Photos, on FlickrA7RIV:
April 05, 2020.jpg by Bird/Wildlife Photos, on FlickrA9:
June 28, 2019.jpg by Bird/Wildlife Photos, on FlickrA9II:
May 22, 2020.jpg by Bird/Wildlife Photos, on FlickrA7RV:
April 30, 2023-2.jpg by Bird/Wildlife Photos, on FlickrA1:
July 11, 2021.jpg by Bird/Wildlife Photos, on FlickrTree swallows perform sky ballet known as 'murmuration' as they prepare to migrate north. Every year as the weather gets warmer down south, tree swallows begin the process of migrating back north. Murmuration are the shots I wish to take -- and these are landscape shots (often better as vids) rather than trying to track individual birds. Which are difficult to achieve great shots, unless you are @Kadaver81 .
WHAT a tremendous set of images!As fast as SS as light levels allow.
IS/VR/OSS.....OFF
Highest FPS your camera has.
Usually easier to use a high MP body and shoot a bit wider to make use of cropping
Best to use a stacked sensor MILC or DSLR. The only non-stacked sensor MILC I'd want to use is R5.
Practice, practice, practice
But all that said, the number one technique that has allowed me to get good swallow shots with all sorts of cameras is having a camera/lens system that allows DMF. Manual focus to help out the AF is what gets me my success with swallows. Any Canon DSLR or RF with latest FW. Any Nikon DSLR or Z. For Sony only 70-200/2.8II, 400GM, 600GM OR A7RV body with new DMF software option (although A7RV not really a great swallow camera).
Here is just a small taste of some swallows over the past few years with a number of systems....
Canon R5:
Canon R3:
D500:
D850:
Z9:
A7RIV:
A9:
A9II:
A7RV:
A1:
bcaress
New member
Thanks to all for the advice and more for the encouragement. These are wonderful shots.
LTK
Well-known member
That last one Is a beauty !As fast as SS as light levels allow.
IS/VR/OSS.....OFF
Highest FPS your camera has.
Usually easier to use a high MP body and shoot a bit wider to make use of cropping
Best to use a stacked sensor MILC or DSLR. The only non-stacked sensor MILC I'd want to use is R5.
Practice, practice, practice
But all that said, the number one technique that has allowed me to get good swallow shots with all sorts of cameras is having a camera/lens system that allows DMF. Manual focus to help out the AF is what gets me my success with swallows. Any Canon DSLR or RF with latest FW. Any Nikon DSLR or Z. For Sony only 70-200/2.8II, 400GM, 600GM OR A7RV body with new DMF software option (although A7RV not really a great swallow camera).
Here is just a small taste of some swallows over the past few years with a number of systems....
Canon R5:
Canon R3:
D500:
D850:
Z9:
A7RIV:
A9:
A9II:
A7RV:
A1:
I am by no means an expert at capturing swallows in flight. They are tough. One thing I've found that helps is to watch them for about 10 to 15 minutes before even picking up the camera. Even though their flight patterns are erratic, they are not completely random. Usually they are flying over a hatch of some kind of aquatic insect (like mayflies, midges, crane flies, etc). They tend to fly through the hatch area and turn around & come back. Once you can spot the pattern, you can try to catch them when they are making their turn (like the photo below) or you can start out at the turn and follow them through the insect hatch area.
Be prepared for a very low hit rate percentage. They are small birds, flying very fast and can turn on a dime without any notice.
Another method is to locate their staging area and catch them coming to or flying away from the perch. I've had higher success rate doing this.
Jeff
" title="_T3A2271"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52785560305_c4fe38293d_b.jpg" width="1024" height="819
Be prepared for a very low hit rate percentage. They are small birds, flying very fast and can turn on a dime without any notice.
Another method is to locate their staging area and catch them coming to or flying away from the perch. I've had higher success rate doing this.
Jeff
" title="_T3A2271"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52785560305_c4fe38293d_b.jpg" width="1024" height="819
Hi,
That is a very, very good question I’ve been trying for well over 20 years to capture Swallows, Swifts and Martins but never ever came away thinking yip, nailed it they really are tricky. I try not to capture images against a plain sky so look for birds feeding, drinking, approaching perches etc. Also if I can I try to get a low / head on perspective rather than looking down on the bird sll the better but not always possible.
As far as locking on its still a little hit and miss due the erratic movement.
In order of difficulty in my opinion starting with the easiest are.
Swift: Large, dark more predictable than the others and slightly slower moving in flight, except when low to the ground or in screaming parties when they are so quick.
Swallows: Harder than Swifts but “easier” than Martins. Small difficult to get a lock on but can be a wee bit predictable if watched closely especially when hunting or drinking.
Martins: For me these have always been really hard and I have failed, many, many times and came away with nothing.
Every summer I look forward to turning myself in knots and trying to capture these amazing birds who vist shores from so far away. Its a fantastic challenge best of luck in your future efforts, patience, persistence and trial and error is the key.
That is a very, very good question I’ve been trying for well over 20 years to capture Swallows, Swifts and Martins but never ever came away thinking yip, nailed it they really are tricky. I try not to capture images against a plain sky so look for birds feeding, drinking, approaching perches etc. Also if I can I try to get a low / head on perspective rather than looking down on the bird sll the better but not always possible.
As far as locking on its still a little hit and miss due the erratic movement.
In order of difficulty in my opinion starting with the easiest are.
Swift: Large, dark more predictable than the others and slightly slower moving in flight, except when low to the ground or in screaming parties when they are so quick.
Swallows: Harder than Swifts but “easier” than Martins. Small difficult to get a lock on but can be a wee bit predictable if watched closely especially when hunting or drinking.
Martins: For me these have always been really hard and I have failed, many, many times and came away with nothing.
Every summer I look forward to turning myself in knots and trying to capture these amazing birds who vist shores from so far away. Its a fantastic challenge best of luck in your future efforts, patience, persistence and trial and error is the key.
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Last edited:
Brilliant advice but fantastic series of shots, some stunning, stunning captures of beautiful birds in there.As fast as SS as light levels allow.
IS/VR/OSS.....OFF
Highest FPS your camera has.
Usually easier to use a high MP body and shoot a bit wider to make use of cropping
Best to use a stacked sensor MILC or DSLR. The only non-stacked sensor MILC I'd want to use is R5.
Practice, practice, practice
But all that said, the number one technique that has allowed me to get good swallow shots with all sorts of cameras is having a camera/lens system that allows DMF. Manual focus to help out the AF is what gets me my success with swallows. Any Canon DSLR or RF with latest FW. Any Nikon DSLR or Z. For Sony only 70-200/2.8II, 400GM, 600GM OR A7RV body with new DMF software option (although A7RV not really a great swallow camera).
Here is just a small taste of some swallows over the past few years with a number of systems....
Canon R5:
Canon R3:
D500:
D850:
Z9:
A7RIV:
A9:
A9II:
A7RV:
A1:
Dave Douglass
Well-known member
Try to find an active nesting area then setup with a nice viewing spot and pre-focus on the nest entry then grab them entering, leaving, and hovering. That's what I do
Z9, 200-500 lens, 1/3200th, f8, 720mm, ISO4000
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Z9, 200-500 lens, 1/3200th, f8, 720mm, ISO4000
Some great advice given here so far. I did my real first attempt at Swallow photos the other day with my Z9 + 800 PF and had some decent success. I am no expert in Swallow photos by any stretch but I did observe and ended up lucky with about 10 shots but only a few with decent wing position and a few had the nicitating membrane over the eye. This was more of a "something to do whilst photographing other birds" on the pond type scenario as I am not into photographing Swallows. It was more of a "let's see what the Z9 + 800 PF can do" and was reasonably impressed. I was a long way away from them as I wanted to be able to follow their action without losing them in frame with such a long lens. This was a very large pond and they were flying all over the place and this was just a lucky sequence. These are heavily cropped.
Z9 + 800 PF, 1/4000s f/6.3 at 800.0mm iso2000
Z9 + 800 PF, 1/4000s f/6.3 at 800.0mm iso2500
Z9 + 800 PF, 1/4000s f/6.3 at 800.0mm iso2000
Z9 + 800 PF, 1/4000s f/6.3 at 800.0mm iso2500
eft
Well-known member
Great images Lance!
My Z9 is in the shop (replacement of rubber secure lock cover
) and my 800mm order is about to celebrate its first birthday. Nevertheless, after my post above I headed out to a local pond with swallows in mind. One additional important factor is wind. If it's windy it's best to be upwind of the birds in flight. If the subjects are approaching you from upwind, their air speed makes the challenge of getting the frame that much harder. On the other hand, if they are flying toward you against the wind their wind speed is checked increasing your chances. I took the attached photo of a barn swallow flying upwind. It's heavily cropped and soft, as so many of my images are 
, but another stepping stone in the right direction.
My Z9 is in the shop (replacement of rubber secure lock cover
) and my 800mm order is about to celebrate its first birthday. Nevertheless, after my post above I headed out to a local pond with swallows in mind. One additional important factor is wind. If it's windy it's best to be upwind of the birds in flight. If the subjects are approaching you from upwind, their air speed makes the challenge of getting the frame that much harder. On the other hand, if they are flying toward you against the wind their wind speed is checked increasing your chances. I took the attached photo of a barn swallow flying upwind. It's heavily cropped and soft, as so many of my images are , but another stepping stone in the right direction.
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Robert S
Well-known member
Enjoyed looking at all the images. Thanks for sharing.
Great images Lance!
My Z9 is in the shop (replacement of rubber secure lock cover
View attachment 60670
Thank you very much, EFT. Much appreciated!
Good advice!. Yes, being upwind of a bird is always good practice and I do this with other birds where it can be of help, also.
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By heck Lance they are a bit good to say the least.Some great advice given here so far. I did my real first attempt at Swallow photos the other day with my Z9 + 800 PF and had some decent success. I am no expert in Swallow photos by any stretch but I did observe and ended up lucky with about 10 shots but only a few with decent wing position and a few had the nicitating membrane over the eye. This was more of a "something to do whilst photographing other birds" on the pond type scenario as I am not into photographing Swallows. It was more of a "let's see what the Z9 + 800 PF can do" and was reasonably impressed. I was a long way away from them as I wanted to be able to follow their action without losing them in frame with such a long lens. This was a very large pond and they were flying all over the place and this was just a lucky sequence. These are heavily cropped.
Z9 + 800 PF, 1/4000s f/6.3 at 800.0mm iso2000
Z9 + 800 PF, 1/4000s f/6.3 at 800.0mm iso2500
Thank you very much, Gordon. Much appreciated!By heck Lance they are a bit good to say the least.
One more idea is to use a wider lens. A 600mm or 800mm lens is great once you develop technique, but you may have better luck with a 200-300mm focal length and cropping while you learn to photograph swallows. I've even used an old 35mm manual focus lens with a flock of swarming swallows.
Video is an excellent way to capture the behavior of swallows. Again - you are using a wider lens and capturing the behavior.
Video is an excellent way to capture the behavior of swallows. Again - you are using a wider lens and capturing the behavior.
bcaress
New member
Thanks again to all. It seems the best part of asking the question was all the great images we got to look at.
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Cameron T
Well-known member
Practice, and watching the flight patterns a few times before you bring the camera up.
Positioning your legs more towards the end of the pattern you want to photograph, so your torso turns more naturally into position vs actively twisting away had helped me with tracking as well.