Pileated woodpecker in flight

[gail bisson]

I took this picture at Lake Blue Cypress during Jim Neiger's workshop. I didn't post this shot sooner because I felt that it was a "lucky" shot, and not a skilled shot.I feel a bit like a fraud if I post it. Am I nuts for feeling this way or do some of you understand this ?
The reason I say it was a lucky shot is because the bird was in the upper right hand side of the frame and the focus sensor wasn't even on the bird!!:eek:
Canon 7D
100-400mm at 260mm
f 6.3
ss 1/800
manual
Virtually no PP except for cropping and a tough of sharpening
Comments and critiques always appreciated and learned from

[noelle zaleski]

Gail, I think it is a terrific image!

It's not easy getting this bird in flight :S3:

[Richard Unsworth]

:S3:

Nice BIF Gail; hard enough bird to get under any circumstances so you caught your "lucky" moment well

[Ofer Levy]

What is especially amazing is that the image is reasonably sharp (at least in this small version) despite the way too low shutter speed...:w3

[Dumay de Boulle]

Congrats on getting this guy in flight. Nice and sharp considering SS and the exp looks good!

[Joe Senzatimore]

Some of my favorite images were "lucky" captures. We all have the lucky moments and should not dismiss them. They are a part of photography. When you know what your doing you get "lucky" more often.
This is one sweet BIF shot. Never saw one of these in flight posted before. A fine image you should be very proud of.

[Randy Stout]

Gail:

Since we sometimes don't get the shot when we do everything right, its OK to take advantage of one when you got 'lucky'

Pileateds aren't easy to get clean flight shots of, at least not around here, where they are always in deep woods.

He is angled a bit away from us, but nice dorsal display. Nice that the crest is clear of the wing.

Cheers

Randy

[Bill Jobes]

The positives win the IQ test in this one, Gail.

The compressed near-wing notwithstanding, the rest of the image is outstanding in my book.

Seeing a Pileated in flight, especially when a camera is in hand, is uncommon, at least for me, in southeastern Pennsylvania.

The detail on the head ... the great red rendition, the sharp eye and other head colors are quite good.

As for being 'lucky,' I politely disagree. We aim, we focus, we press the shutter. We strive for the best technique with hopes for the best results.

I'd wager that more than a few of the world's best photographers were at times more than occasionally pleasantly surprised at the image they'd captured. They simply choose not to reveal their 'luck.' :S3:

[Stu Bowie]

Hi Gail, most people would take this shot anytime. This was only 'luck' as it remained in focus when you stated the focus point was not on the bird. You were obviously tracking the bird, so overall, well done. Good dorsal view, and love the reds on the crest. Well placed in the frame too.

[Chad Caswell]

Nice looking PIF Gail, I disagree that the shutter speed was way too slow, considering the focal length @260mm, you were ok at 1/800, yes a little slow then I would have liked but it came out nice.

Chad

[Melissa Groo]

Wonderful image, Gail, amazing sharpness indeed considering SS. Wonderful room in front for it to fly into. I would be elated to have this shot! Exposure is great. I'd say there is definitely skill here as well as a bit of luck!

[Bill Dix]

Super shot, Gail. If any bird photographer told me that 'luck' didn't play a part in their work, I would seriously doubt their veracity. You were there, tracked the bird, and succeeded with good enough technique to create a great image. OK, maybe the fact that the head and crest are completely clear of the wing could be called luck - a split second sooner or later would have killed it - , but that's what we all hope for. Well done.

[Karl Egressy]

Amazing BIF shot, Gail.
I have had many times the same; the main focus (center) is not on the head, not even on the bird and it is sharp.
Other times the active (center) focus point is on the head and the bird is OOF.
I don't undrstand it either.
We should ask the experts.

[Jim Neiger]

Gail,

You are selling yourself short. I think the reason the sensor is not on the bird is that it was just before this frame, and the distance had not varied enough in the split second that you moved away from the center to blow the focus. The PW had made its turn parallel to you and you were panning with the bird, so the 1/800 of a second was able to freeze the PW. You correctly executed what we learned in class and we were all anticipating the flight of the PW, so there is really no luck involved. The settings may not have been what we learned in class, but it still turned out well. I was impressed when I saw the image on the back of your camera and I'm still impressed seeing it here.

[gail bisson]

Thanks for the kind words Jim and Karl and Bill!
Gail

[Craig Markham]

Wow, Gail, with "luck" like that, you'll be giving your own flight photography workshops pretty soon! Around here (western Oregon) it's rare enough to see a pileated through the dense vegetation, much less capture such a nice flight image. Keep up the good work!

Craig
http://cpmarkham.zenfolio.com

[Arthur Morris]

With the bird angling away from you this is a very attractive wing position. For the repost I simply pulled the curve up a bit as the image looked overall dark to me.

[gail bisson]

Thanks Artie. I appreciate your repost and advice. Have a safe trip to Scandinavia. I will rework this picture. Take care,
Gail

[Arthur Morris]

YAW and thanks. Am in the airport motel now; will be in Svalbard (I think) on Sunday afternoon. Yikes!

[Mitch Carucci]

What is wrong with LUCKY???