In the Field

Proud Male at Sunrise. Findlay Creek, BC, Canada. May 25, 2005.

Tree Swallows are a photographer's paradox - when photographed in the "correct" light they can show stunning colour and tonal range, but when in this "correct" light there are some tremendous technical challenges to overcome (and, to make matters worse, when photographed in low light or in shaded conditions they are simply "drab little birds"). This is because when viewed in strong sunlight their plumage contains both tremendously dark areas (that reflect tremendous colour and with significant tonal variation) as well as some near blinding "whiter-than-white" zones. Using "traditional" technology (like...uh...film) the subject would be beyond the film's dynamic range and you'd be forced to expose correctly for highlights or expose correctly for shaded areas, but NOT for both. With care and using both the latest digital technology (including shooting in RAW format) and advanced flash-fill capabilities, a photographer can now come closer to reproducing what they saw through their viewfinder. And, in this case, I saw a bird that almost appeared to know how stunning he looked and was darned proud of it.

By the way - the background is NOT a function of digital manipulation or an artificial backdrop (I'm always asked if it is). It is a Ponderosa Pine intentionally thrown out of focus by aperture choice. The look of it is a function of good "bokeh" (and a real good lens!).

Behind the Camera

Proud Male at Sunrise. Findlay Creek, BC, Canada. May 25, 2005.

Digital Capture; Compressed RAW (NEF) format; ISO 100.

Nikon D2X with Nikon 200-400 mm f/4G ED-IF AF-S VR lens @ 400 mm (600 mm equivalent with digital conversion factor) supported on Gitzo 1348 carbon fibre tripod with Wimberley head; SB-800 flash (fill) with Better Beamer Flash Extender mounted on Really Right Stuff flash bracket.

1/500s @ f4; -1.0 stop exposure compensation from matrix-metered exposure setting; balanced i-TTL flash exposure (no compensation).

At the Computer

Proud Male at Sunrise. Findlay Creek, BC, Canada. May 25, 2005.

RAW Conversion to 16-bit TIFF, including first-pass sharpening, exposure compensation, and tone curve adjustment, using Phase One's C1 Pro. Multiple RAW conversions (2 at different exposure settings) to extend dynamic range of captured image, in this case primarily to restore shadow detail on shaded portions of bird (breast and right side of head).

All further digital correction on 16-bit TIFF file using Adobe's Photoshop CS, including compositing and masking of various exposure versions, selective saturation enhancement, and selective sharpening for web output.

Conservation

Proud Male at Sunrise. Findlay Creek, BC, Canada. May 25, 2005.

Ten percent of the revenue generated by this image will be donated to Wildsight.

Species Status in Canada*: This species is not designated as at risk.

The Tree Swallow (Tacycineta bicolor) is a common insect-eating aerobatic specialist found across much of North America. Tree Swallows nest in abandoned cavities in trees or in nest boxes provided for them by humans. The breeding range of the Tree Swallow is expanding southward and overall their populations appear to be increasing.

This male Tree Swallow was photographed in the Columbia Valley of the East Kootenays. While this species is not considered at risk in any way, many ecosystems within the Columbia Valley face development pressure. Wildsight is an effective conservation organization that protects biodiversity and promotes sustainable communities in Canada's Columbia and Rocky Mountains. Support for Wildsight, through donation or becoming a member, will help ensure that they remain effective in their efforts to conserve threatened or endangered species and ecosystems.

*as determined by COSEWIC: The Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada