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| Welcome Swallow "Look at me!" |
According to Wikipedia, "a money shot is typically a shot that would be difficult to set up or anticipate in advance".
Well, if you have ever tried to ask a Welcome Swallow to fly conveniently in front of the Kitchen window, at just the right angle to reveal its white underbelly, a full wingspan and intricate feather detail at just the exact moment you press the button on the iPhone then I think the above shot qualifies.
I can't even be said to be blowing my own trumpet really. The picture is poor quality and it was a complete fluke. No one was more surprised to find this gem amongst the other shots of plain blue sky than me. These guys move fast! But such is the nature of the money shot, frequently taken by amateurs at fortuitous moments. And whilst not a technically great photograph, it captured the moment and was good enough to be chosen to be featured on the @instatassie feed on Instagram. These are the type of shots I love the most. And this one has a vintage, painterly quality that is quite appealing.
I've become quite attached to these birds. They are the Welcome Swallows that I photographed in their nest in my last Post and I've been monitoring their growth and feeding habits these past few weeks just as I did last year. As soon as they can fly, they move over to the other side of the house and fly around there for about a week or so and then we don't see them for another year. I love it's gorgeous silhouette and the pattern on it's tail, something you can't see when they are darting about at 100 miles an hour.
Have you taken any money shots lately that have made your day?
Hope you all have a lovely weekend!
This is a beautiful picture Mel! Definitely a money shot!!!! xx
ReplyDeleteMel, that shot still blows me away! Breathtaking! x
ReplyDeleteGood grief - that's beautiful! To be honest Mel I thought it was a painting to begin with - I hope it's going to be pride of place on your walls somewhere. Well done x Jane
ReplyDeleteI thought it was a painting too (in the thumbnail on the blog feed), but it IS stunning. Such a nice composition all round! I'd be thrilled with it too. Here our common swallow is a barn swallow. I once took several "money shots" of a Cooper's Hawk which has resided in our neighbourhood for years. He's a beauty, but not often seen. He was in my neighbour's tree, so I quickly grabbed the camera, quietly slid open the back door and stood there with the zoom lens & took a few shots. He suddenly flew out of the tree straight towards me, camera clicking furiously he swept right over me and over the house. Thrilling!! I quickly looked at my camera to flick through the last few shots. Imagine my dismay when I read "No Card" on the screen. No memory card = no picture :[ Haven't seen that darned bird since. Wendy x
ReplyDeleteWell done you! There's something about the slightly fuzzy, watercolour like appearance of the photo that make it special. Had it been perfectly in focus it wouldn't be nearly as impressive!
ReplyDeleteWhat Kristieinbc said ;)
DeleteThe sight of a swallow could easily make me happy for a week. What a great photo! Christina x
ReplyDeleteWow that's a fantastic picture! My camera is never at my finger tips when I need it. The swallows here have only disappeared in the last month for warmer skies.
ReplyDeleteSarah x
oh I love swallows and this is a perfect capture.....what a lovely surprise to find on your phone. straight to the pool room!!! x
ReplyDeleteWow - well done you Mel! It certainly has a quality about it, and looks sort of mystical I think.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful shot indeed. Wishing you all a lovely weekend.
ReplyDeleteAwesome! Recent money shot was a koala in the trees next to our house! only second time I've seen koalas since my childhood and it turned and looked at me with the perfect expression and I got it!
ReplyDeletehttp://sevenlittleaustralians.blogspot.com.au/2013/10/a-portrait-week-october-28th-edition.html
scroll to bottom of post.
Simply stunning! It looks like a painting ... you should definitely frame it ... Bee xx
ReplyDeleteBrilliant photo! You must be pretty quick with that iphone! (my Windows phone would have typically crashed just at that moment!). Hope your day today is filled with other lovely opportunities.
ReplyDeleteYou're right. That would be a lovely painting! It reminds me of some descending ceramic bluebirds I once owned and never forgave myself for selling at a garage sale. You have a great view for washing up!
ReplyDeleteForget the bird, I quite like your kitchen window view.
ReplyDeleteTruly amazing shot! x
ReplyDeleteGreat shot! And, I agree with Claire - what a view from your kitchen window. These days a money shot for me is getting 4 children looking at the camera at once. Bonus if they are smiling. My photography is obviously quite amateur compared to yours!
ReplyDeleteGreat shot. So beautiful. It looks like it belongs in an old childrens book. Hope your photograph wins.
ReplyDeleteI'd say that was bang on the money! I took a photo of a Wren recently that I really like. It was fluke too. They usuallu are. Yesterday Olly and me watched a Thrush taking a bath in a puddle. But by the time I had fiddled around with my camera, it had finished and flown off.
ReplyDeleteLeanne xx
Stunning! :) x
ReplyDeleteWow Mel! What a stunning shot, and all the more spectacular for being unexpected. Definitely on the money :)
ReplyDeleteThis is great! I've never seen a swallow.
ReplyDeleteWow, that really is a one-in-a-million shot! In other news, you really have a lovely view from your kitchen window.
ReplyDeleteWhat an amazing shot, to capture such detail. The background is pretty stunning too.
ReplyDeleteIt's a great shot - those wings! I love @instatassie - they featured one of my Stanley shots once and it made my day! Great way to share what's good about our state :)
ReplyDeletePerfect shot. I was pretty proud when I captured a red robin in flight behind our bedroom window- he kept pecking on the glass. I just kept clicking away and got lucky.
ReplyDeleteThat's a beautiful shot, you couldn't have got it any better if you'd tried to set it up deliberately. The background is stunning and of course the swallow is so beautiful.
ReplyDeleteTotally amazing Mel. I agree with the earlier comments about it looking like a painting and extremely impressive for a phone pic. mel x
ReplyDeleteA fabulous photo Mel!!! Most certainly very special moment indeed. Xo
ReplyDeleteBirds in flight make amazing subjects
ReplyDeleteThat's brilliant Mel! Looks like a painting xx
ReplyDeleteOh wow. Great capture!!!
ReplyDeleteHave a lovely week x
It's the sort of shot that if you'd tried to set it up, you probably wouldn't have got it. But fluke or not, it's stunning. And can I just say, err..THAT VIEW! I'd do nothing but stare out of the windows all day long. x
ReplyDeleteThey are the most beautiful birds and you've captured him soaring! x
ReplyDeleteThat is just so awesome!
ReplyDelete