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Diane Miller
01-16-2016, 09:26 PM
I've been busy and haven't posted (or even had time to look) in a while, but time to get back into it. I just got the 400 DO II and on its first real outing I got lucky with this hawk. After some hand-holding with the 1.4X I had put on the 2X to see how it would work with some ducks, and as I was deciding to head back I saw him in a scraggly bush and made a few shots. Then he moved to a T-post and I dared move a little closer and got some frame-filling full-body shots. Then he flew to a small ditch maybe 25 ft away right in front of me, eyeing some potential prey that apparently escaped. This is almost full-frame, with just a little off the top and right. I had the 7D2 so was limited to the center focus point, which compromised my composition a little.

Canon 7D2, 400 DO II + 2X III, ISO 800, 1/800, f/10. Big Gitzo with Wimberley II. Cloudy, low light. Minimal LR adjustments, into PS for cloning out a thin piece of dead plant in front of his lower breast and a little touchup to the BG. No NR or sharpening except the LR defaults. The light had been varying for hours, with clouds, so I had gone to Av. I was too focused to notice that a really dark cloud had come over, so I might have been taking a risk with the SS. I was more "focused" on the focus point.

Satish Ranadive
01-17-2016, 02:44 AM
Excellent portrait. Nice inquisitive pose. Beautiful colours, BG, superb details and nice composition.

Regards,
satish.

Randy Stout
01-17-2016, 06:11 AM
Diane:

The soft light really helped 'paint' this portrait. Very alert looking, with the angle of the head/neck suggesting concentration.

Well exposed.

Wish there was a bit more room on left, but I know there is none left over!

Cheers

Randy

Karl Egressy
01-17-2016, 06:13 AM
Excellent portrait shot. Wish you many good shootings with your new lens.

Stu Bowie
01-17-2016, 11:52 AM
Hi Diane, love the intense stare, and I quite like your comp here. Overall, well exposed, and I like the detail around the eye and beak. Nicely separated from the BG too.

Fixed your title ( you had typed Fawk, instead of Hawk ) :w3

annmpacheco
01-17-2016, 01:05 PM
I think you walked away with a wonderful image given your "limitations" as described. Exposure is spot on and I like the intensity you captured.

keith mitchell
01-17-2016, 02:02 PM
That Hawk really as fixed you with that stare Diane, great detail and exposure.

Keith.

Diane Miller
01-17-2016, 02:02 PM
Thanks everyone! And thanks Stu for the proofreading. I'm going to learn to type in my next life.

shane shacaluga
01-17-2016, 04:26 PM
Very nice portrait shot of one of my favourite hawks. Sharp and I like the BG. its different setting to what we normally see of red tails

Glad to see your lens combo is working well

TFS!

stuart wanuck
01-17-2016, 05:16 PM
love the stare nice image

Diane Miller
01-17-2016, 05:24 PM
Thanks guys! The Stare will be coming as soon as my 24-hr limit is up.