Bosque Del Apache, New Mexico

[Randy Rimland]

D800 + 500/4 at f/6.7 1/1250 iso3200
focal length in the exif shows 850mm, which is strange. I may have had the D800 in 1.5x image area mode, which would make the focal length 750mm but I'm sure I didn't have a TC on.....

anyway here's the shot.......several viewers have said crop out the mtn but I rather like it in. Thoughts ?

[Dan Brown]

Very nice Randy. The D800 at 3200 is working well! Did you apply NR? I like the mountain, it grounds the image for me. Too bad that a few of the birds merge but that is minor. More room on the right for the flock to fly into would improve this, IMO.

[Jeff Cashdollar]

Randy,

Great moment, IMO the bottom is distracting and takes away from the beauty of flight, but others might like it - Dan did. Consider cropping in a pano fashion and maybe more room in front, lets see what others say. What a perfect moment - just great!!

Not sure about the 850 500 X 1.5=750?

[Roger Clark]

Hi Randy,

Nice sunset colors. I agree with Jeff on the OOF mountain. The main thing that bugs me about this image is the merger of birds, especially the head of the one bird in the center. It would be nice to see full separation. I know this isn't easy as I have thousands of sunset images from Bosque, and hoping for a nice grouping like this in front of the peak colors and full separation appears to be a rare event when many birds are involved. I've tried many times for larger groups and had the same problem. So I usually settle for fewer birds and separation before pressing the shutter.

Roger

[Randy Rimland]

Very nice Randy. The D800 at 3200 is working well! Did you apply NR? I like the mountain, it grounds the image for me. Too bad that a few of the birds merge but that is minor. More room on the right for the flock to fly into would improve this, IMO.

thx Dan

only in camera high iso NR set to standard

[Randy Rimland]

Randy,

Great moment, IMO the bottom is distracting and takes away from the beauty of flight, but others might like it - Dan did. Consider cropping in a pano fashion and maybe more room in front, lets see what others say. What a perfect moment - just great!!

Not sure about the 850 500 X 1.5=750?

thx for the feedback Jeff
opnions appear to be split on the mtn

[Randy Rimland]

Hi Randy,

Nice sunset colors. I agree with Jeff on the OOF mountain. The main thing that bugs me about this image is the merger of birds, especially the head of the one bird in the center. It would be nice to see full separation. I know this isn't easy as I have thousands of sunset images from Bosque, and hoping for a nice grouping like this in front of the peak colors and full separation appears to be a rare event when many birds are involved. I've tried many times for larger groups and had the same problem. So I usually settle for fewer birds and separation before pressing the shutter.

Roger

thx roger

i am sure i have several w/ more separation but i actually liked that bird pattern

[Colin Gilyeat]

Randy, beautiful image, I really like the dark birds against the sunset. The OOF moutains are a little distracting, but for me not to the point of cropping them out.

Colin