Great Crested Flycatcher Bursting Out of the Nest.

[Daniel Cadieux]

While photographing the recent Great Crested Flycatcher nest I was really wanting to get an image of one of the adults flying out of the nest. It was rather difficult for a number of reasons: never coming out the same direction (I'd compose with room to the right, and out to the left the bird would go...and vice versa!), never knowing how long the adult would be in the nest (sometimes a few seconds, sometimes a minute or more), early morning light not giving enough shutter speed to freeze the fast motion (usually had to leave for work before good SS could be attained) to name a few.

On this particular image all came together, my timing was perfect too, and I got what I had been wanting for a few days :S3:

Canon 7D + 100-400L @275mm, manual exposure, evaluative metering, 1/2000s., f/8, ISO 400 (settings histogram checked), handheld, natural light, about 80% FF.

[Doug Brown]

Your persistence paid off with an excellent image Daniel! Great eye contact, nice sense of motion, and a strong sense of habitat. I might go a little brighter, but that's about it. Congrats!

[Morkel Erasmus]

This is very nice Daniel! Patience, planning and fortune all came together nicely! :bg3:

[dankearl]

Very nice, I would actually like a bigger crop since you are pretty close. They must fly like Hummingbirds, 1/2000 w/ wing blur!
I like the sense of motion and the color.
Not too dark for me.

[Mike Milicia]

Yes, you certainly did get it ... fantastic image! :cheers:

Might selectively lighten the head a bit.

[Randy Stout]

Daniel:

Well done, persistence paid off for you.

Well exposed, I could see it a bit lighter as Doug mentioned, neat action.

Did you need to do any work on the eye?

Cheers

Randy

[yogesh_puranik]

wow your effort paid off..excellent story & fine details..just a thought it would be grt if you get the chik looking from the nest and adult is going away..i am asking too much :) grt

[arash_hazeghi]

very cool action Dan, nice details. agree with Doug it could go a tad brighter (especially the underside of the far wing)

[Stu Bowie]

Dan, very well timed, as I know any bird exiting their nest is extremely quick. Good to get the wingspread, and the head separated from the trunk nicely. Well done.

[Daniel Cadieux]

Thanks everyone!

Randy, for the eye I only blackened the pupil.

[Glenda Simmons]

Even without your narrative, this image, clearly, tells the story. That's what it's all about! Hats off to you!