Out on a limb

[Rick Moran]

Red Shouldered-Hawk looking for food.
At the everglades w D2X and 600/4.
f4@1/3200 sec, iso 320, EC 0
Thamks for looking, Rick

http://slopoki1.smugmug.com/photos/563290016_zPQZ3-XL-1.jpg

[Axel Hildebrandt]

I like the eye contact and light. I would try to lighten the eye and put the bird further to the right in the frame so that he looks 'into' the frame and not out. There are some artifacts in the BG on the right side, maybe from cloning?

[Grace Scalzo]

Hello Rick, A beautiful subject. I looked at this image for a while before consolidating a few thoughts. The details are nice as is the open beak. But the head looks soft to me. If this is a big crop, I would consider what Axel said about placing the bird more on the right side and back off a little (give him more room overall). Try sharpening some more. I'd also select the bg, and run some noise reduction on it. Most of all, I'd try to photograph this beauty in early morning or late day light.

[Aidan Briggs]

I agree with Grace, and Axel. It looks to me like there is plenty of detail in the head, but it looks soft because it hasn't been sharpened. I would definitely lighten up the eye area.