Greater Kestrel

[Andreas Liedmann]

Hi folks ... this image was taken in Namibia in Etosha NP back in 2019 .
Subject was just sitting right next to the track .... I slowly approached and took a couple of shots before he took off , as they mostly do .
I do always miss the the take off ..... LOL

Canon EOS 1Dx II
EF 200 - 400 IS L at 560 mm
HH

F 8 ; Iso 500 ; 1/2500 sec

Processed with DPP 4 and PSCC 2021 ; cropped from landscape to portrait ... way more than I would normally do , roughly 45 % left from original

Thanks for looking and commenting to my previous postings

Cheers Andreas

[David Pugsley]

Beautiful bird. Could use the head turned a bit towards the viewer and I'd be curious to see the original horizontal frame.

[dankearl]

The bird looks nice, your bird photos are mostly all at steep angles, you are a processing expert and
I do read your comments and learn from them although you don't comment on mine anymore, you
should work harder at getting eye level with better backgrounds, not a swipe at you, a critique.

[David Roach]

A beautiful subject and one where I don't mind the up angle. Adds to the regal pose... Plenty of good detail and great processing given the crop. TFS

[Paul Burdett]

Yes to the positives here. The bird is sharp, processed beautifully, light is good. If it were mine I'd take a little off the bottom. My one and only Kestral shot is of one on a power pole...so I'd be happy with this one! Yes to a degree or two of HA towards us.

[Jonathan Ashton]

A fine shot Andreas, I applied a Color Infinity mask targeting the feet, then pulled down the luminosity curve just a couple of clicks, I think it makes a positive difference. WDYT?

[Arthur Morris]

Head angle looks fine to me. Beautifully processed. I always miss the take-offs too!

with love, artie

[John Mack]

Nice portrait of this kestrel. Neat looking perch. Detail on the bird looks great.

[Ian McLachlan]

Oh for one more chance in Etosha. I really like the clariity simplicity and colour mix in this Kestrel frame .Many people don't know that you are not allowed out of the vehicle in parts of Africa and that means you can't improve the angle, except by going further away .The sky is' Africa in winter perfect'

[Andreas Liedmann]

Thanks so much folks for feedback , much appreciated .

Jon ... i do agree with you , a tiny bit more depth in the feet would not hurt the subject :t3 ... the methods can vary :bg3:.

Ian ... thanks for your clarification what is possible at times when shooting from a car in africa .... in general i would prefer shooting on eye level with the subject , at ALL TIMES , unless i want to create something different and think OOTB . But sadly in many cases the subjects/locations dictating my options .... so i am somehow limited at times , like we all are at times . So the result is , in those cases , maybe not ideal angles or backgrounds .... but i still shoot :w3 and have fun !!! And that is what it is all about .... having fun :bg3:.

Cheers Andreas

[Brian Sump]

Andreas, very nicely processed on the subject (no surprise). I love the textures in the iris!

Overall comp works. It would have been super to have just a bit less business in the bottom of the perch but the thorns definitely add interest.

On the next one, if you get a colorful bkg other than blue that would be all the sweeter!

[Andreas Liedmann]

Thanks Brian ... your feedback is much appreciated .

Ok next time I try to get a better sky , or wait .... maybe I do ask Paul how that works with the sky , LOL . :t3
I am with you about the busy thorny bush .... but that's how it is , and actually I do not care as all important elements are without any distraction . It is wild , free and sometimes rough out there .....

Ciao Amigo