Aplomodo Falcon

[Shawn Marques]

This handsome Aplomodo falcon belongs to a falconer friend. It was hunting mourning doves by Sebring Speedway, FL and was successful! Taken in late afternoon in partly cloudy skies. Thanks for looking.

Canon 40d, Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS USM +1.4x
1/800s @ f/5.6 +33, ISO 800, 840mm
Gitzo carbon fiber tripod, Wimberely head

These birds have a rich clay color- I have not added any saturation to it. Look here to see Robert Amoroso's image of this species of falcon.
http://birdphotographers.net/forums/showthread.php?t=257

[Lana Hays]

Shawn
This is a beautiful falcon. I like the pose...and the calling. Did you run some noise reduction over this one.....the entire image seems a bit soft.

[Shawn Marques]

Shawn
This is a beautiful falcon. I like the pose...and the calling. Did you run some noise reduction over this one.....the entire image seems a bit soft.
Hi Lana. I knew this might be an issue. All of my Aplomodo falcon images look as if the plumage was soft. I don't know how to check where my focus points are on the image after they are downloaded from the camera. I only use noise reduction in the bg, if needed. Thanks for commenting. ~Shawn

[Anita Rakestraw]

Hi, Shawn. Just a lovely, lovely bird & image! I did download and experimented with various sharpening approaches and wasn't very excited about any of the results. Looks like the focus was just not spot-on; or could it have been the extender, or not quite clean lens glass? Did you use manual or auto focus? Personally, I kind of like the slightly soft look on this bird, altho I'm sure it would be spectacular with tack sharp plumage....the eye sharpens pretty well, could just sharpen it a bit more maybe.

[Lana Hays]

Shawn
Here are a couple of suggestions. If you've downloaded Canon's Image Browser software you can open the RAW image there and check the point of focus. I'm not sure if Breezebrowser will do that as well since I'm a Mac user and can't use Breezebrowser. When using a TC with my 500mmL I always try to get more DOF so that could also be an issue. Make sure that the IS is turned on.....silly as it sounds, sometimes I've bumped the switch and turned it off.

[Shawn Marques]

Shawn
Here are a couple of suggestions. If you've downloaded Canon's Image Browser software you can open the RAW image there and check the point of focus. I'm not sure if Breezebrowser will do that as well since I'm a Mac user and can't use Breezebrowser. When using a TC with my 500mmL I always try to get more DOF so that could also be an issue. Make sure that the IS is turned on.....silly as it sounds, sometimes I've bumped the switch and turned it off.
Thanks Lana. No it doesn't sound silly. I have left ISO setting on 1600 and even 3200 accidently on more than one occasion from taking night shots the previous night. I'll give the Canon Image browser a try. I won't get another chance to photograph one of these until later in the year as this one was shipped to Washington state for breeding. I will try giving it more Dof on the next attempt maybe f/8? One thought that I had is the image was created while it was on the handlers fist while he was talking. I don't know if that could be the cause. Just a thought. Thanks again. ~Shawn

[Shawn Marques]

Hi, Shawn. Just a lovely, lovely bird & image! I did download and experimented with various sharpening approaches and wasn't very excited about any of the results. Looks like the focus was just not spot-on; or could it have been the extender, or not quite clean lens glass? Did you use manual or auto focus? Personally, I kind of like the slightly soft look on this bird, altho I'm sure it would be spectacular with tack sharp plumage....the eye sharpens pretty well, could just sharpen it a bit more maybe.
Thanks Anita. This was created using auto focus. It wouldn't surprise me if the glass wasn't clean as I was out all weekend photographing falconers hunting with their birds.I won't get another chance to photograph one of these until later in the year as this one was shipped to Washington state for breeding. I appreciate your help. ~Shawn

[Lana Hays]

Shawn
There could definitely have been movement with the bird on the handler's fist. I would definitely use at least f/8 with the converter. This is no little bird and I'd say you could use all the DOF that you can get as opposed to a warbler that's all in the same plane.

[Ed Cordes]

Soft look is not objectionable, but tack sharp would be better. I was also moving the image up and down in my browser and think an alternative presentation would be a bit more portrait in nature with some cropped off the bottom. I am not suggesting changing this image, but creating a second alternative that is equally attractive.