(June 7) Swallow returning to Big Sur Nest

Swallow wing and face detail below.

Pause for a moment and consider how difficult it is to capture a sharp image, an image free of blur from movement, of a graceful slow flying bird in flight such as a Pelican.

Its rather difficult. You must have a very fast shutter speed (1/500 or faster), and pan (sweep) the camera to keep the bird in the frame. But the hardest part might be staying in focus while panning since the bird rarely cooperates by staying the same distance while you are shooting. And that's for a slow flying bird like a pelican.

Now consider how much harder it is to capture an image of a zippy Swallow as it constantly swoops and jinks at high speed. Not just to get a photo, but to get a sharp detailed photo of a Swallow in flight? Impossible? Well, nothing resembling easy.

Now you are ready to appreciate the sharp detail of this Swallow's wing feathers during flight:

(April 2010) - One fine Big Sur morning, after spending 3 months photographing wildflowers and green hills on every possible Big Sur hill from Point Lobos to Nacimiento Grade,