![\"\"](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/violet-green-swallow-7222-ron-dudley.jpg\" "\\"violet-green-swallow-7222-ron-dudley\\"")
<\/p>\nIn photography, light matters. It really does.<\/p>\n
I suspect some of my friends, possibly including a few followers of Feathered Photography, think I’m a little daft because I’m so picky about the light I shoot in. I shoot almost exclusively in the early morning when the light is softer, warmer and more directional and even more importantly I nearly always insist on having clear to mostly clear skies in the forecast before I leave home for my shooting destination. If it’s likely to be overcast in the early morning I just stay home (like I did yesterday morning).<\/p>\n
One month ago today I took a photo of a Violet-green Swallow in flight that provided a vivid reminder of why I almost always insist on having “good” light.<\/p>\n
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1\/2500, f\/6.3, ISO 1000, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/p>\n When good light strikes them just right male Violet-green Swallows are among the most colorful and beautiful of my avian subjects. But as in most birds, when they’re in poor light their colors and details are drastically muted. This male is about to land at the entrance to his natural nest cavity in an old cottonwood tree in the mountains. Discerning eyes may notice his mate, in the shade above his right wing, waiting to greet him.<\/p>\n Roughly the left half of his body is in shade and the right half in reasonably good morning light. The absolutely gorgeous colors on his right side are on full display, including the violet at the base if his tail that is so very hard to capture in a photo. But color and detail on his shaded left side are largely absent.<\/p>\n A month ago when I quickly reviewed the photos I took on this morning I mostly dismissed this one out of hand because it’s a ‘butt shot” but I stumbled across it again last night and realized how well it illustrates the advantages of good light.<\/p>\n Don’t get me wrong, quality photos of birds most definitely can<\/em> be taken in shade or on cloudy days, it depends on the situation. One example would be birds with extremely bright colors such as Yellow Warblers that can be such a difficult exposure in stronger, direct light.<\/p>\n But I go with the odds. My chances of getting photos I like are greatly enhanced when my avian subjects are well lit in the morning (or late in the day). On those rare occasions when I do go shooting on overcast mornings I usually end up deleting every photo I take.<\/p>\n Just sayin’…<\/p>\n Ron<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" In photography, light matters. It really does.<\/p>\n