Short eared owl

[Jonathan Ashton]

Canon 7D Canon 500mm &1.4TC 1, Tripod,ISO 640 1/2000 sec f6.3
Having great difficulty gaining focus especially when the bird come closer - could be a lack of contrast - most likely but it is really frustrating especially when I manage the keep the bid in the centre of the frame. I am using single point expansion most of the time occasionally switching to the single point but it doesn't seem to make any difference which I choose. Custom Function 3 111 I selected the default 0 setting and I have tried option 1 also but not better. Any ideas or suggestions welcome.

[Grace Scalzo]

Jonathan, I can't help you with the specifics of your camera. As for this image, I long for light on the seo's face. The background is really nice.

[arash_hazeghi]

nice pose and BG, the IQ is not very good, looks like the original was a bit soft?

[Jonathan Ashton]

nice pose and BG, the IQ is not very good, looks like the original was a bit soft?
Hands up Arash, got to admit rather a large crop - just can't get the darned thing to focus when closer (no it isn't the focus limiter!:S3:)

[arash_hazeghi]

Hands up Arash, got to admit rather a large crop - just can't get the darned thing to focus when closer (no it isn't the focus limiter!:S3:)

I see, For closer distance focus you may want to take the TC off, this is a very tough subject for 7D's AF but you can increase your chances by taking off that TC, pre-focusing at the approximate distance you want to get the owl at, then wait for the owl to come to focus (as opposed to trying to track it) and fire off a few shots at the right moment and hope that the camera grabs it ;)

[Stu Bowie]

Hi Jon, great flying posture with the full downstroke, and I do like the light and warm colours. Although Im into more space than lesser space, I feel you could maybe take a bit off the top. Nicely separated from the BG. I agree with the others to lighten the face. Easily fixed. :w3:w3

[gail bisson]

I like the light and the muted browns and yellows of the image but the face in shadow and overall softness are a problem. I find that with the 7D, in order to lock focus on an inbound subject, you need a large target for the focus point to grab onto. You said this is a large crop so there may have been just too small a surface area for the focus point to grab.
Gail

[Jonathan Ashton]

Thanks for the comments everyone, Arash regards the focus - yes tried it but thanks. The frustrating thing is that it tends to lock or freeze when the subject is closer rather than further away, I recall it did this when I was in The Gambia photographic Senegal thick knees, apart from the heat I would say similar circumstances i.e. little contrast between subject and background.
I did brighten the face I decided not to brighten any more because the face was not that bright and I didn't want it to look as bright as perhaps desired in case someone criticised me becasue you can see the light angle would leave the recessed eyes in shadow.

[Jim Crosswell]

Nice image Jonathon! I like the wing position angle of flight and colours. Hope you get a sharper image of him next time.

[Juan Carlos Vindas]

Even though is a bit small in the frame, I find it nice to have all that empty space to fly to in front. Nice light and focused eyes.

[Jack Breakfast]

If we forget for a moment that most of us want super-sharp images most of the time, let's remember that this is a very pleasing and lovely image, all things considered...lovely bird, great background, etc etc...

[arash_hazeghi]

If we forget for a moment that most of us want super-sharp images most of the time, let's remember that this is a very pleasing and lovely image, all things considered...lovely bird, great background, etc etc...

Jack,
In this forum we critique photographs, that means we mention the strong points AND the weak points to provide feedback to the poster. There are other forums for sugar coating every image that is posted but that is not BPN's mission. This is what makes this forum the #1 avian photography forum on the net and I believe the ownership works hard to keep itthis way...:w3
I believe the poster will benefit more from this approach as well :S3:

[Jack Breakfast]

Above, Arash has pithily summarized the forum's mandate, intentions, and code of aesthetics. I'm in agreement on this point: sugar-coating does a service to no-one.

[adrian dancy]

I like the composition. The bird's expression is good, as are the wing positions. The background is superb. The fact that lighting does not fall on the bird's face is most unfortunate. I see absolutely no reason why a 7D should not be able to track a SEO. I have tracked these birds through fog where the contrast is low using a 40D attached to a Sigma 300f2.8 with converters! Yesterday using a 7D and Sigma 500f4.5 EX I was doing shelduck at full throttle flying toward me and greylag geese flying toward me also and last week goldeneye using the 400 prime . I have no doubt that the Mk4 is better at tracking but the 7D is no slouch either. There have been a lot of SEO images popping up in the UK recently and I have to say I have been disappointed by many of them. I think folk are cropping too much. There does seem to be a trend for photographers to want 'in your face" close up images of these birds and that is not always possible. Better to mark out good background and wait for the bird to fly into it and get a good bird in habitat shot. I think using a tripod can at times be very restricting IMHO and at other times can be an advantage, for some. IMHO.

[Jonathan Ashton]

I hear you Adrian but I want it all!! I want a good well exposed interestingly lit sharp owl in a nice habitat - nothing less will do. I will keep trying and trying, it is nothing other than effort and perseverance that will succeed! I feel the equipment is up to it and so am I. Maybe a little good fortune wouldn't go amiss!

[adrian dancy]

You have the attitude!

Jonathan , I look forward to bumbing into you one day perhaps catch you at Martin Mere?

[Manjeet & Yograj Jadeja]

have just switched to canon but we found that in good enough light, with zone focussing (center) and focussing limiter set from 8m-infinity, we had better luck locking on to eagles and large Eagles, ducks and geese, with our 4005.6 and kenko 1.4, on our 7d, hope it would definitely work better with your 500 f4.
All the best
Manjeet & Yograj Jadeja