Kestrel take off

[arash_hazeghi]

kestrel taking off

123913

1DX 840mm f/5.6 1/3200sec ISO 640 handheld,

see HD size here (http://ari1982.smugmug.com/Avian/Raptors/American-Kestrel/26711057_VNxTSq#!i=2319025046&k=7c6qfC2&lb=1&s=O)

[James Salywoda]

Your work is incredible Arash It's giving me that urge to get back out there and take pictures again. I've only been out a handful of times this past year.

[supreet.sahoo]

Impressive and inspiring stuff here Arash...

[Faraaz Abdool]

Excellent shot Arash. Sharp and crisp with a lovely bg. Your flight shots are quickly becoming legendary!

[Loi Nguyen]

Hi Arash

beautiful capture of a beautiful bird. Love the sharpness, the comp, the soft light, and the BG. Did you per-focus and wait until he took off, then take the shots? Kestrel is incredibly fast and it is amazing to capture such an image with a big lens handheld.

[Ivan Ellison]

Another excellent shot Arash, great timing to catch the exact point of lift off. You must spend a lot of time in the gym to handhold your rig in readiness- I always seem to run out of strength and lower the camera at the moment they decide to fly. The HD image is stuning in clarity and detail.

[Randy Stout]

Arash:

Excellent timing, like the foot position, the slight motion blur on the wing, nice light.

I could see this as a vertical, with a modest amount of room on left, to really show off the bird in more detail. Could clone out the stick on far right, so you could crop in from that side comfortably.

Well done.

Cheers

Randy

[Jonathan Ashton]

Absolute cracker Arash, I think we have seen a similar one a few weeks back. Beautiful colours and light a terrific pose couldn't ask for more.

[Miguel Palaviccini]

Arash

I like the crop as is, but would like to see a tightly cropped vertical - just to soak in the detail. Another sweet Kestral image from you, and I look forward to more.

Also, thanks to you, I have recently put the tripod away and started hand holding my rig. Much more freedom for birds in flight.

Miguel

[Lyle Gruby]

Don't really have anything to add. Awesome!

[Robert Holguin]

Terrific shot!!
Excellent timing, love the take off pose, wonderful background, and outstanding IQ.
Very well done.

[PhilCook]

So very sharp and clear shot Arash, if I was going to be very....very pedantic I would say a very...very slight shame the foremost wing tip in slightly blurred, but it's hardly worth mentioning so ignore this hehehehe

[WIlliam Maroldo]

Hi Arash. Excellent image, and I am glad to see you as a moderator! The light is high contrast or otherwise known as harsh (the dead giveaway being the inpenatrable shadow on the right wing), yet well controlled by camera, sun, and wing position. I'm certain you realize the advantage of soft light, as evident by many of your spectacular images, and was wondering if you have been re-thinking that paradigm. My opinion is that although the image is absolutely as good as possible given the lighting, it would have benefitted from softer light. Also, IMO, a greater DOF would have helped (left wing tip). regards~Bill

[Sidharth Kodikal]

Excellent take off pose and superb details, Arash. The HD version is just stunning!

[dankearl]

They don't get much sharper and I like the perch and the eye contact.
Great work as usual!

[arash_hazeghi]

Hi Arash. Excellent image, and I am glad to see you as a moderator! The light is high contrast or otherwise known as harsh (the dead giveaway being the inpenatrable shadow on the right wing), yet well controlled by camera, sun, and wing position. I'm certain you realize the advantage of soft light, as evident by many of your spectacular images, and was wondering if you have been re-thinking that paradigm. My opinion is that although the image is absolutely as good as possible given the lighting, it would have benefitted from softer light. Also, IMO, a greater DOF would have helped (left wing tip). regards~Bill

Thanks

I agree the shadow was unfortunate but I wouldn't call this light harsh, it was taken at 3PM, given that sunset was around 4:20PM the sun wasn't that high in the sky. Even if the sun was lower you would still get some shadow on the far wing.

I liked this image because of the dynamic pose.

the wing blur is from motion blur not DOF.

best

[arash_hazeghi]

Arash:

Excellent timing, like the foot position, the slight motion blur on the wing, nice light.

I could see this as a vertical, with a modest amount of room on left, to really show off the bird in more detail. Could clone out the stick on far right, so you could crop in from that side comfortably.

Well done.

Cheers

Randy

thanks Randy, if you click on the HD link you will see how better the details show up, hence my arguments for increasing posting size to 1200 pixels!

hope it happens soon!

[Corey Hayes]

nice shot, do you guys feed this bird?

[arash_hazeghi]

nice shot, do you guys feed this bird?

no, I don't think you can bait a kestrel and it is illegal in the public parks here in NorCal.

[Corey Hayes]

o I didn't no that, I was talking to a local guy the other day and he said he baits them. He puts a tripod out with a cup then stick the mouse in the cup so the bird has to hover and work to get the mouse, he baits a red tail also.

But I have no clue how he gets close enough to even give the mouse, everyone I have seen wont let me with in 200 feet.

[Vivaldo Damilano]

Really stunning, great wing pose, love the perch and BG. The bird also pop's so nicely.