GBH on watch

I figure I'll keep going with these until I get it right :S3:
They're easy to find, big, and stay very still.

Canon 50D, 1/400, f/8.0, ISO 200 +2/3 EV in Av mode
70-200 f/2.8 IS USM II with x2.0 extender @380 mm

LR + CS5.1

Very nice -- they can be so tall! Looks like everything is well-handled here. Some people might suggest leaving more room for the virtual feet, but that would make it even more vertical. I like the little berries to provide some interest in the vegetation. You might try cloning out, or at least shortening, the two OOF grass stalks that run off the edges of the frame.

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Originally Posted by Diane Miller

Very nice -- they can be so tall! Looks like everything is well-handled here. Some people might suggest leaving more room for the virtual feet, but that would make it even more vertical. I like the little berries to provide some interest in the vegetation. You might try cloning out, or at least shortening, the two OOF grass stalks that run off the edges of the frame.

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Thanks, I failed to mention that the berries were originally cropped out on the left side, so I moved them, if you look too closely you'll notice I didn't do a really good job of it. Also did some dodging in the BKGD. Did some work in LR on the beak and eye. Sharpened in PS using smart sharpen on a layer with just the bird, which brought out some feather detail on the breast.

From the car at Ridgefield wildlife preserve again. Usually they are prowling the banks of the water ways, but occasionally they get up on a ridge so they can be isolated from the BKGD. This one had his eye on a snake behind the car, eventually he flew off and devoured it. I've wondered what their success rate is hunting, I've rarely seen them miss.