Gho

[Raymond Barlow]

Stoney Creek, Ontario, Canada

Nikon D300 ,Nikkor 200-400mm f/4G ED-IF AF-S VR
1/250s f/4.0 at 400.0mm iso250
hand held from f150 hide, natural light, 85% of ff
no bait.

This bird has eluded me since I began all this bird photography a couple of years ago... I see so many images of the GHO online, and finally my chance came along the other night.

the angle is a bit steep, bg is blah, maybe needs some fill flash, and I think the perch is too dominant in the frame, but, o well, I was happy to get a shot.!!

[Alfred Forns]

Hi Raymond Looks like you got most of the points covered Light angle would have helped to cover the face evenly Didn't indicate the exp comp but seems just a little underexposed !!!! Big Congrats on finding this fine bird !!!

[Arthur Morris]

Hi Ray, Congrats on your 1st GHO and your excellent self-critique. With the light from the left, fill flash would have opened up the shadowed feathers.

Can you confirm that you were 150 feet up in a blind???

[Raymond Barlow]

Hi Ray, Congrats on your 1st GHO and your excellent self-critique. With the light from the left, fill flash would have opened up the shadowed feathers.

Can you confirm that you were 150 feet up in a blind???

thanks Artie, no, I was in my f150 (Ford F150) blind, parked in the ditch!

[Arthur Morris]

Ah, that explains the rather steep angle of inclination...

[Randy Stout]

Artie:

I would think that fill flash here would make the perch even more prominent. Feathers would be better, but perch more dominant. I have tried it in that circumstance and not been happy. Just my .02.

Randy

[Daniel Cadieux]

Artie:

I would think that fill flash here would make the perch even more prominent. Feathers would be better, but perch more dominant. I have tried it in that circumstance and not been happy. Just my .02.

Randy

Hi Randy, exposing the BIRD perfectly is more important than anything else in a situation like this. Given the choice I would certainly choose to use the flash and get the main subject right. Although rarely good to have the "I can fix it later in PS" approach the perch could then be toned down and subdued in PS. Surely better than ending up with an underexposed subject. :)

From the thumbnail I was sure this was a perched Squirrel!!

[Raymond Barlow]

Hi Randy, exposing the BIRD perfectly is more important than anything else in a situation like this. Given the choice I would certainly choose to use the flash and get the main subject right. Although rarely good to have the "I can fix it later in PS" approach the perch could then be toned down and subdued in PS. Surely better than ending up with an underexposed subject. :)

From the thumbnail I was sure this was a perched Squirrel!!

Thanks for the comments., I am with Randy on this one, i personally have never used fill flash on any bird, I prefer natural light. I could only imagine what a flash would do to these big beautiful eyes., and the time in PS correcting such a mess.

As for the squirrel ...??? ummmm ... thanks.

[Chris Dodds]

Excellent self critique, Ray. Congrats on the find.

So, you have a pimped-out F150 with adjustable suspension? to 150 ft? WOW!

[Raymond Barlow]

Excellent self critique, Ray. Congrats on the find.

So, you have a pimped-out F150 with adjustable suspension? to 150 ft? WOW!

Well, it has a sun roof!!! :) is that pimped out??