Sandhill Cranes with Full Moon

[Maxis Gamez]

Hello,

This one from my trip to Bosque. I only had few days of full moon and I was lucky to have clear skies.

Hope you like it.

Canon 40D, 400mm L @ f/8, 1/1250, RAW, Manual, Handheld.

Thanks!

[Per-Gunnar Ostby]

Fantastic. the positioning. the framing. Both sharp. Simply fantastic

I assume this is by one of the Crane Pools?

[Axel Hildebrandt]

Great wing positions, light and details, the moon adds to it. In an ideal world the birds would have flown toward you but I like it as is.

[Maxis Gamez]

Hi Axel,

Very valid point. One thing I noticed is that out of 30 photographers in the Crane Pools only 4 including myself were LOW in the grass to get the moon with the cranes. Almost everyone missed the opportunity because the moon was high above the mountains, you needed to get low and look up to get the moon.

I felt like screaming "GET LOW" and point your lens to the sky :D

[Maxis Gamez]

Fantastic. the positioning. the framing. Both sharp. Simply fantastic

I assume this is by one of the Crane Pools?

Hi,

Yes, second pool leaving Bosque!

Thank you for your words!

[bill kominsky]

When you say perfection Maxis you really mean it. The wing position is absolutely perfect with the one up and the other down, congrats on a very stunning image.

Bill

[Ramon M. Casares]

Just terrific! Love the light, poses and colous, the OOF moon it's just the detail that puts this one over the top!

[Robert O'Toole]

Awesome Maxis, This year I didnt get any close to this. The cranes are sharp and the moon is just sharp enough. Congrats.

Robert

[Glenda Simmons]

Even if the moon was not there....the wing positioning of both birds, makes this image. It gives you the feel of their movements, as you are up there flying along next to them. Love it!

[Adams Serra]

Hi Maxis,
Congratulations, Beautiful light, wing position and the moon makes this a outstanding picture.

Adams

[Fabs Forns]

I love this one, but if it were mine, I'd gotten an image of the sharp moon and replace the OOF one. Both sharp is, after all, what your eyes saw, wasn't it?

[Maxis Gamez]

I love this one, but if it were mine, I'd gotten an image of the sharp moon and replace the OOF one. Both sharp is, after all, what your eyes saw, wasn't it?

Hi Fab,

I don't know if that was possible even at f/22. Here is another image with the out of focus moon which is what I saw but as you can see, this image is not good at all. I'm editing this one from my laptop, (not at home) so the blue's could be a little off.

http://www.********.org/bpn/40D/_MG_7538.jpg

Thank you for your words!

[Fabs Forns]

I meant a single moon image. I know it can;t be done because of lens limitation, so you do as they do for macro DOF, stitch both!

[Doug Brown]

Really like this one Maxis! Great wing position on both of the birds with the moon forming a triangle. The problem I have with Fabs' suggestion is that everyone knows it's a composite image; no amount of stopping down will get both the moon and the birds in focus.

[Per-Gunnar Ostby]

I am in agreement with Doug. By including a sharp moon it would appear too obvious as a composite image. Those have their place but I think this image would lose some of its magic if that was done

[Roman Kurywczak]

Hey Maxis,
You Naiked it! Wing positions and the moon.....super!

I would do both versions of the moon though......bet the public buys more of the composite with the sharp moon!

[Juan Aragonés]

Terrific composition Maxis. Perfect balance between the moon and the cranes and great that you got two different wing poses . Very well seen!

[John Ippolito]

Beautiful image Maxis in all respects. Agree with Roman and Fabs re: moon composite image. Excellent!