Sharp-shinned Hawk

[Nancy Bell]

Photographed on Dec. 25, 1:12 pm on a gray, snowy day. I pressed the camera lens flush against a double-paned window.
Location: 8,000' in the northern Colorado Rocky Mountains.
Canon 20D, Canon 300mm f4 L IS lens, handheld.
1/320 @ f4.5, ISO 400, Program mode, RAW

This is the closest I have been to this hawk (less than 10 feet) and I wanted to create a sharp, dramatic photograph. However, it seems somewhat dull. I would appreciate any suggestions.

BTW, this is my first post.

Nancy Bell

[Fabs Forns]

Hi Nancy,

I have never seen this Hawk other than in pictures, so you got a lot closer to him than me :)

I download your image and did a Shadow/Highlight adjustment in Photoshop, followed by a small increase in saturation and some sharpening.

Only wish the branch was not in front of him (sure you wish too) and a little more room at the bottom.

Hope we can help you improve your photography!
Big welcome to BPN

[Jody Melanson]

Love the subject, don't like the clutter, but I know, you take what you can get until something better comes along! :) The picture is a little dark and I would take Fabs great advice. WTG Fabs.

[Bob Steventon]

I agree with the comments about the clutter -- the out of focus vertical branch closest to the camera is the most annoying. You might have been able to get a cleaner shot if you moved sideways but, on the other hand, the bird might have flown while you were relocating. I find I often miss distracting elements because I'm seeing the bird in my mind, not in the view finder.

We had a Sharp-shinned hawk collide with a window while chasing song birds several years ago. (Fortunately, it recovered after spending two days with the local wildlife recovery group.) I was surprised how small it was when I picked it up.

Bob