Swifts hunt late in the afternoons over the new lake at the botanical gardens. They fly in great swooping turns, then dart along the surface, occasionally diving down to grab a hapless insect.
They’re a challenge to capture. Small, very fast and crossing the field of vision you have to spot them by eye, lift the camera at wide zoom, keep them centred as you zoom in, pan like hell and hope the autofocus is fast enough. The light is fading this late in the afternoon, so the ISO ramps up and the water starts to get noisy.
But, like much photography, take enough pictures and you’ll get a few worth sharing.
Swift
Caught a pair
Making a Splash
Flying away from the lens
Caught one!
In a cloud of droplets
Putting power on after a dive
This is why we wait for the afternoon sun
Banking hard
The new lens is bloody awesome.