Redtailed Hawk in flight

[Garry Coldwells]

Cropped and USM applied.
Shooting Mode Manual Exposure
Tv( Shutter Speed ) 1/1250
Av( Aperture Value ) 7.1
Metering Mode Spot Metering
ISO Speed 400

I like the eye level flight and the eye sharpness. Would f6.3 have been better to reduce the BG somewhat?
Also, the bird's mass and eye are in the right hand third, would it be better to have more leading space in front of it?

Cheers,

Garry
www.birdphotograph.com (http://www.birdphotograph.com)

[Joe Senzatimore]

My vote for more room in front. Seems a bit soft overall.

[Randy Stout]

Garry"

Another vote for more space to the right, quite a bit actually. Agree with Joe about the soft. Yes, f/6.3 would have helped a bit with less DOF. What lens were you using?

Randy

[Arthur Morris]

Hi Gary, You sure had a low-flying red-tail. In addition to the well-covered problems above the BKGR is terribly noisy.

What did you spot meter??? It seems that the original capture must have been well under-exposed (and then lightened).

[Colin Knight]

Garry,

I really like the unique perspective here. To me, eye contact doesn't even matter in this case.

If your ethics allow, I think more canvas can be added. Here's a quick effort:

http://www.pbase.com/clknight/image/119320983/original.jpg

[Danny J Brown]

Hi Garry: I love this image, or painting if you will because even though its a bit soft the eye is still intense and "huge" by the way. I also love the impressionistic background. The repost really takes it home though, even though I'm not one to add canvas. A very unique shot!

[Aidan Briggs]

I'm not sure if this one works for me. The repost is better but the HA, and wing position are not very good. You might try a crop from the bottom for a nice print to use as a bookmark.

Keep them coming!

[Arthur Morris]

I am sure that this one does not work for me.... In addition to all of the problems mentioned above photographing a gliding bird from the side will almost always be unappealing to me.

[Garry Coldwells]

Thanks to all for most welcome commentary and thanks to Colin for the addition of canvas (which I would not have a problem with if I had finished the Advanced Photoshop....... :)

Arty, what is it about that level that bothers you?

[Harshad Barve]

Unique perspective for sure
TFS

[Arthur Morris]

Thanks to all for most welcome commentary and thanks to Colin for the addition of canvas (which I would not have a problem with if I had finished the Advanced Photoshop....... :) Arty, what is it about that level that bothers you?

Hi Gary, It is not the level, it is the perspective. Here is how I explain it: it is as if you were photographing a pancake from the side. You would not really be showing much of the pancake.... PPs (pancake perspectives) can work if the bird is angling towards you 15-45 degrees; coming right at you and flat can be very powerful.

I do appreciate your taking my comments as a learning experience rather than taking them personally. As stated by others (and myself), the image is not at all sharp; it was not sharply focused to begin with. (You cannot make an unsharp image sharp by sharpening it.) And the birds is much too far forward in the frame.

I do always need to be honest here; I will not pull punches because I think somebody is either new or a nice guy or gal. Sometimes I feel like The Executioner....

[Garry Coldwells]

Arty,

I do truely appreciate you taking the time on this. I would rather hear brutal truth and learn than platitudes and suck!

Cheers,

Garry

[Arthur Morris]

Arty, I do truly appreciate you taking the time on this. I would rather hear brutal truth and learn than platitudes and suck! Cheers, Garry

With your good attitude and open mind I am sure that your work will be improving rapidly.