American Kestrel hunting

[Isaac Grant]

Captured this female kestrel while it was hunting. I know I do not have good eye contact on this shot but it is what I like about it actually. Shows the bird eyeing its prey (a grasshopper), talons coming about as it was about to strike. Taken in late evening light. Cropped as square as it was not going left or right really, it was just about to go down. Eager to hear others thoughts about this pose as it is not a classic type take off pose or wings fully down pose.

Canon 7dii and Canon 500 f4ii + 1.4xiii. ISO 640, F6.3, SS 1/3200.

Converted in DPP 4. In PS I cropped, applied NR to background and sharpened.

[Colin Driscoll]

Isaac, I'm all for showing birds interacting with their environment as well as showing perfect poses. I like this one but is it a bit soft, other than the obviously slightly oof near wing?

[Geoff Newhouse]

Great dynamic image and good head angle and flight position. I would have liked the near wing to be a bit more vertical so its not so OOF and that would also have shown the beautiful tail more. Do you have any frames just before or after with that position?

TFS
Geoff

[Isaac Grant]

Unfortunately I don't have them. The frame before it was flying perpendicular to me, turned quickly (this frame) and the next frame it has its wings almost fully tucked. And this was at 10 FPS. It made a real sudden and quick turn and basically dropped straight down. Guess that is one of those times where a 14fps beast like the 1dxii would have come in handy. I have other frames from other times it took off and was hunting, including one that is just what you described but it is not sharp. Bird turned towards me and went really close. I clipped the bottom wing as well and it is a delete unfortunately.

[Bill Dix]

Nicely done, Isaac. Catching these guys (and gals) in flight is really tough. The wing position may not be perfect, but I like the head angle. To me the head looks sharp.

[Jonathan Ashton]

Well caught the limited DOF is showing the head very well indeed but perhaps this highlights the lack of eye contact. Be that as it may I like the image - well focused, exposed and beautiful colours.

[David Salem]

This is one of those "close but not quite there" shots. The head is sharp enough, and the wings look great too, but without the eye contact, it lacks in the sense of being engaging. The BG is killer and it would have been great to see the colorful tail too.
Keep trying, you will get a smoking frame soon, I can feel your passion!!

[arash_hazeghi]

what Dace said, this one looks sharp and has everything going for it except for that killer pose with eye contact to take it to the top. keep trying!