Redtail Friend

[Craig Wallace]

A photogenic redtail hawk at Ridgefield NWR this past summer.
D2X's 80-400mm vr lens at 360mm. bean bag on car window. iso 125 f/5.6 1/350 pattern metering WB auto aperture priority. I seem to crop the subjects to tight in the frame. comments welcome

[Anita Rakestraw]

Nice looking hawk, Craig; it's unusual to get that close to one around here. I think the background is really nice! The details on your hawk are great, altho you've maybe lost a bit in the whites. I agree that it needs more space around it, esp. on the bottom and maybe a bit on the right as well. Wish the grasses and hardware were not there, but that's often the way it is.

[Lance Peters]

Hi Craig - Too tight - Yes - you have cut the poor fellows tail feathers off :(
Whites look a touch bright - nice detail in the rest though - The HAP may want to talk to you :) Would have been better if he had given you a over the shoulder head turn.
BG works for me - dont mind the grasses either - but just needs more room.
Good show :)

[Alfred Forns]

Agree with comments .... Just need some overcast or gotten earlier in the day !!! With these just stay with them and wait for the best pose !!

Tech wise I know the D2x is not the best for noise quality but would at least go to 320 !!! Need that shutter speed for safety ... did make a sharp image, good technique !!!

[Jeff Cashdollar]

Must have been low light conditions, nice detail and vet close to subject (well done). Agree with comments above - keep em coming and lot's to like here. Great subject (Hawk), nice feather detail, just a tad tight and bottom of tail cut off. Are you using center sensor, might want to experiment with others as well.

[Gus Cobos]

Hi Craig,
Very good advise given, I too feel it to be a tad on the tight side, I can live with the head angle, lets just say that something in his environment caught his attention, but for your next one try to include the tail...looking forward to the next one...:cool: