Snail Kite From Jim's Boat

[Doug Brown]

I promised myself that I wouldn't post any images from Florida that I processed on my laptop...but I couldn't resist posting one! From this morning on Jim Neiger's boat, a male Snail Kite. I had been shooting with a 500 most of the morning, but switched to a 400 in hopes of not clipping a wing on this guy. I still managed to clip a couple of wingtips, but recreated them for this image. I went with a 5x7 crop because I wanted to keep the bird large in the frame and highlight the nice detail. I had the pleasure of meeting and photographing with BPN member Wheeler McDougal for the first time. BPN member (and my fiance) Kristin Wilkinson was on the boat as well. Jim did his usual stellar job captaining his pontoon boat!

http://birdwhisperer.smugmug.com/Animals/Birds/BPN/20100305-V5C4471-Snail-Kite/802972530_VK6ar-O.jpg

Canon 1D Mark IV, 400mm, f/7.1, 1/2000, ISO 640, manual exposure, hand held

[arash_hazeghi]

Excellent wing position and eye contact, great details too! congrats!!!

[Daniel Cadieux]

Awesome image Doug!! I wouldn't mind reversing the amount of space top and bottom (or at least adding a bit at bottom), but very cool either way - love the full downstroke wing positions.

[gary rouleau]

Doug, I was about to call missing persons. Awesome shot! I would add a little more space on the bottom.

Cheers
gary

[Grace Scalzo]

Doug, what an exciting powerful image. Love the eye, the downswept wings, and the fact that you can see both sides of the wings. Looking forward to more.

[Kaustubh Deshpande]

Very nice wing position and exposure Doug. Love those eyes and the beak. Well done.

[John Chardine]

Stunning capture Doug! That 400/5.6 lens is a killer. For me I come back to the detail in the face, although that means that you got the rest of the image right in that I am not distracted away from the main point of interest.

This reminds me of a question I put to BPN a while back but unusually, did not get an adequate answer- at what shutter speed obviates the need for IS (which of course the 400/5.6 doesn't have).

[Bill Dix]

Terrific image. Love the eye and wing position. Gives me hope for BIF at 400mm. (all I need is your wealth of expertise and many years of practice).

[Bert De Tilly]

beautiful picture, i like the wing position and the light inside the wing and eye contact, great details too! congrats!

[Robert Amoruso]

Doug,

Great wing position. The head and eye are soft to me. Actually I can't find a sharp point so I am guessing coming of the laptop, it is not sharpened enough.

[Jim Crosswell]

I like the red eye and wing position in this beautiful image. Well done!

[Paul Lagasi]

Really love the face on these birds....lovely colors, wing position..TFS

[Doug Brown]

This is why I hesitate to post images processed on my laptop Robert. It looks really sharp on my monitor. Here's a 100% crop of the unprocessed RAW file to give you an idea of baseline sharpness.

[John Chardine]

The original looks very sharp on my Apple Cinema display.

[Sid Garige]

This is why I hesitate to post images processed on my laptop Robert. It looks really sharp on my monitor. Here's a 100% crop of the unprocessed RAW file to give you an idea of baseline sharpness.

Doug,

First of all, fantastic image. Great wing position and details.

I got no issues with sharpness. I use a Lenovo W700D and I don't see any issue with sharpness. It is hard to believe but unless we all are viewing an image at same resolution and monitor size (same pixel dimensions) it is very difficult to judge sharpness.

[arash_hazeghi]

This is why I hesitate to post images processed on my laptop Robert. It looks really sharp on my monitor. Here's a 100% crop of the unprocessed RAW file to give you an idea of baseline sharpness.

Very nice Doug!!! 100% crops is excellent for flight shot, the original post is also sharp and shows fine detail.

[Danny J Brown]

Striking image Doug and nice and sharp on the face. Well done, as usual.

[Grace Scalzo]

Looks perfectly sharp to me too.

[Markus Jais]

Doug, this is simply fantastic. Wonderful flight shot with perfect wing pose.

Markus

[Stu Bowie]

Killer image Doug. Good wing position, and I really like the detail in this. Im fine with the overall sharpness, and congrats on a great capture.

[Marina Scarr]

Lovely capture, Doug. He doesn't look soft to my eyes, although I might sharpen the image just a tad more for my own personal taste. Absolutely love the wing position and the perfect angle on this one. Glad you are having such good luck on your trip over here.

[Morkel Erasmus]

all been said. fantastic detail and techs Doug. good job on the wingtips too. I agree the OP could use a very slight round of USM but the out-of-camera shot looks terrific...

[Doug Brown]

Thanks everyone for the comments! I got home last night and it looks sharp on my home monitor too. Sid's point is apparently quite valid regarding sharpness.

[Robert Amoruso]

This is why I hesitate to post images processed on my laptop Robert. It looks really sharp on my monitor. Here's a 100% crop of the unprocessed RAW file to give you an idea of baseline sharpness.

I came back to this one today and amend my previous comment. Looks sharp. What I notice yesterday evening is that after I watch TV with my glasses on, and then come to the monitor where I do not need them, my eyes are slightly out of wack and not focusing well. Takes about an hour before it wears off.

Sorry I caused so much discussion. Just need a break for getting older. :o

[Doug Brown]

Sorry I caused so much discussion. Just need a break for getting older. :o

I know the feeling Robert! :)

[Raymond Barlow]

Excellent Doug.. All I have is a cheap laptop!! killer wing position, and comp.