Aplomado Falcon

[Doug Brown]

I photographed this Aplomado Falcon alongside Fabs and some other IPT folks (a chance encounter) at Bosque del Apache last November. We were sitting on the ground maybe 20 feet or so from this beautiful bird; it was an amazing experience! I had spent the prior several days shooting with stacked converters and getting lousy images of the Aplomado. Then one morning, it graced us with its presence, up close and personal. It stayed long enough for me to stop down quite a bit (see specs below). BG and FG are blurred because of the very small DOF (1.5 inches) due to large focal length and close range.

http://birdwhisperer.smugmug.com/photos/293363708_dKcn7-X2.jpg

Canon 1D Mark III, 700mm, f/13, 1/1000, ISO 400, -1/3, handheld

[Sid Garige]

Doug,

subject fits in background very well. Wish bird was looking straight and provided an eye contact.

Very nice job.

[Roman Kurywczak]

Hey Doug,
Love the way you use the grasses as a compositional element! Wish for a little more light on L side of face or turn left........but I'd still take it!

[gary rouleau]

Doug the colours and composition are fabulous, I think the head turned is fine, but now that I have said that I think with a turned head it should as well be cocked up a little. The good news is that he is still there. I photographed he last weekend.
Well done.

gary

[Doug Brown]

Good news Gary! I'm going to have to get down there before the mosquitoes get too thick.

[Steve Canuel]

Nice sharp shot Doug. The colors of subject and BG are quite complimentary.
Steve

[Doug Brown]

I just came across another shot from this series that has more of a profile to it, eliminating the dark left side. I'll post that in the coming days.

[Freddy Franzella]

Doug love the image! love the way it blends into the background! already mentioned wish that the other eye was more visable.