Of all birds, Raptors are my favorite. Of the Raptors, the Male Northern Harrier or
"Grey Ghost" is hands down my favorite. They are very ellusive, hence the name Grey Ghost.
As my editing skills progress I hope to work on my back grounds as I realize this particular image has what many would consider a distracting back ground in that it is multi colored and multi patterened.
Location: Newport Back Bay
Canon 40D with 100-400MM lens at 400MM
1/1600 at F/5.6
ISO 200
Hand Held
Great flight capture, I wish it was mine.
The background does not bother me. The yellows seems a little over saturated and is a shame that the right side of the face is darken because the side lighting.
Great action photo. I also love the adult male Northern Harriers. I birded for several years in Southern California before I ever saw a Grey Ghost. I recently swithched to ISO 400 for my hand held raptor photography and am quite pleased with the results. High shutter speeds are the key to good flight shots.
What a gorgeous bird and the action is very cool. Great capture! I'm thinking that more DOF would have been useful so that the entire bird is in focus (shutter speed is fast enough but the wingtips are slightly blurred). Experts, please correct if necessary! :D
Thank You everyone for the nice comments and help. In reply to them I can only add these thoughts.
Ned, I use as low of ISO as I can only becasue that is what I read was best to do. So far I am self taught and have only one year under my belt at all this.
Beth, as for the blurred wing tips, I was happy with them being blurred because to me it gives the bird a sense of motion. For some reason to me, and excuse my corny analogy, with out that sense of motion it looks as if the bird is a plastic model supended on a string. I hope that makes sense but I would also like hearing input regarding that from the experts just as you mentioned Beth.
Thanks everyone, I appreciate the tips and input very much.
Very cool pose and details. I like the BG but would consider clockwise rotation. The light looks a bit harsh but you handled it well. With the 40D you could have gone to ISO 400 if you wanted higher shutter speed. Keep them coming!
there are lots of harriers around here.. but they just as well be ghosts.. I seldom see anything more than tail feathers.... I NEVER get close.. I can imagine how you got this incredible shot.. wonderful work... amazing actually...
Tim, great capture of a beautiful bird. Very good work and congrats on creating this stunning image.
I live in OC but haven't been to Newport Back Bay yet, do you usually have good luck there?
Kirk, Yes I have extremely good luck there. I suppose as with any place it depends on the timing and the birds (residents and migrants) currently there. I would be happy to show you around down there if you ever were up for that. I spend a lot of time there and have gotten to know it quite well.
I want to thank everyone else who commented as your responses to this image have boosted my confidence and let me know I am at least on the right track.
Male Northern Harrier (Grey Ghost)
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
