Southern Pale Chanting Goshawk

[Morkel Erasmus]

I've just returned from a short trip to the Kalahari desert, which included a stint in my beloved Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park.

This adult Southern Pale Chanting Goshawk flew towards a waterhole in sweet early morning light.

All comments welcome!

Techs:
Canon 7D with 100-400mm L IS USM @ 400mm
f7.1 @ 1/2500 SS @ ISO-800
Exp +0.3
Slight crop from all around.

[Geoff Warnock]

Excellent pose and detail in the belly. Have you considered lightening the shadow on the ground as I find it distracts from the excellent bird?

[Jonathan Ashton]

Wow a well caught moment!. Love the exposure and details. The shadow is perhaps worthwhile lightening a little, I must admit it didn't occur to me at first but now it has been pointed out....

[Katie Rupp]

Congrats, Morkel, on your WPOTY commendation! I like Peter's repost as it does let all the focus be on the bird. Nice pose with the outspread wings...I have only seen this bird perched on a branch so thanks for posting this.

[Morkel Erasmus]

thanks for the kind comments and congratulations everyone! :)

Peter - I like what you did but I have changed my stance on cloning (at least as it pertains to my personal images - each one to his own I say) and I don't remove significant parts of what was actually in the scene nowadays ;)

[Daniel Cadieux]

Awesome wingspread on this incoming bird!! I prefer with the rocks (except the light one between large rock and wing), but agree the shadow under the larger rock is just too much of an attention grabber. Well done overall.

[Arthur Morris]

Despite what looks like relatively harsh light--it must be the sharp shadows--you really rocked this one Mork-man. It is so, so sharp.

Were you in a blind or a vehicle or ??

[Morkel Erasmus]

thanks Daniel & Artie...

Artie I was in a vehicle shooting over a beanbag. This picture was taken at 06h53 in the morning so the light might appear harsh, but it is in fact not even an hour after sunrise...the light in Africa is just a lot different than in the Americas :)

[Ken Watkins]

Morkel,

Nice bird shame about the shadow, but as you say that is how it was.

[RAM MALLYA]

Amazing action captured here . I like that diagonal position of this bird in the frame . I am ok with the shadows and the stones .

[Mital Patel]

my goodness man. what a light and the landing pose and that too with 100-400 range.. just awesome dude. were u in hide ?

[Andrew Merwin]

This is a wonderful image Morkel. I like the light, the exposure & the sharpness. I agree with you about leaving in significant parts of a scene. I might darken the lightest small rocks a bit. I am on the fence re. the shadow. I think it adds depth & realism to the image & it is a bit dominant. Personally, I would leave it in the image. A very well captured & excellent image.

[Morkel Erasmus]

thanks so much guys...

Mital - I was in an SUV shooting from the window on a beanbag :)

[Arthur Morris]

Thanks for the info Mork. Amazingly I prefer the original post as more real. Go figure....

[Jim Crosswell]

I like the wingspread, details and sharpness in this image. Well done Morkel!

[Ákos Lumnitzer]

Awesome work bro, wish I could get our shy hawks to do this. Well, I am hoping to do some serious ground work for a few months and wait to see what eventuates ;)

Nice pose and I love the approach to cloning to be honest. I went through a phase for a while, and it's a good thing to know how to use certain tools, but I rather keep my images as natural as possible. Most of the time too. :)

[Lorant Voros]

Oh yeah, the African light. It seems to be harsh with a strong shadow despite it is early morning light.The bird itself is amazing with the nice wings open pose and the sharpness. Your aproach is very respectable, Morkel. Very nice work.

[Morkel Erasmus]

thanks a lot for the kind comments everyone! :)