Baxter Barn Swallows

[vegematic]

I've got a few others I want to post but I'll start with this one to make sure I'm posting my images correctly. This is a pair of barn swallow chicks at Kidney Pond taken this summer with my Canon PowerShot A610.

I didn't do much to the image after downloading it other than resize it. I'd like some C&C on the image. I'm pretty much a novice so even comments that seem basic or obvious are welcome...you won't be insulting me. The shooting information is below.
-vegematic

Tv (Shutter Speed) 1/400
Av (Aperture Value) 4.1
Light Metering Evaluative
Exposure Compensation 0
ISO Speed Auto
Lens 7.3 - 29.2 mm
Focal Length 29.2 mm
Digital Zoom x 3.1
Image Size 2592x1944
Image Quality Superfine
Flash Off
White Balance Auto
AF Mode Single AF
Color Space sRGB
File Size 1321 KB
Drive Mode Single-frame shooting

 

[Mark Schaefer]

This is a nice photo, and the chicks are very endearing. They are an excellent subject. You did very well for a novice.

One distraction is that out of focus twig in the foreground that covers part of the right chick. Granted we see the chick's face which is most important, but generally you do not want anything blocking the view of your subject. If you moved to the left or up you might be able to create a separation between the chick and the twig, possibly eliminating the twig entirely from the photo. If that was not possible you could crop the twig from this photo (as much as it would pain me to lose that portion of the chick).

Perhaps the greater problem is that the birds appear disjointed. Photographs of multiple people or animals are always harder because the potential problems multiply. The chicks are looking in opposite directions and out of the photo. It appears they dislike each other (not uncommon in siblings). Sibling rivalry can be an effective subject, but the chicks would have to have real expressions of anger or disgust to make it effective. But in all probability it was just by chance that you caught them looking in opposite directions. This is one of those subjects where you need to keep shooting, and/or wait for a moment where there is more unity between the two chicks. You want both chicks looking in the same direction or interacting in some way. The goal is to have one effective unified image, rather than the two separate but very nice portraits that you have in this image.