Red Tailed Hawk at Last Light

[Loi Nguyen]

Took this image of a Red Tailed Hawk just before sunset. The light was weak, so I decided to bump up ISO to 1600 while keeping reasonable shutter speed for BIF. I'm practicing exposing in Manual mode, so appreciate your comments regarding the exposure.

1DX
500f4 II + 1.4X III
1/2000
f5.6
ISO-1600
Tripod
Exposed in Manual Mode
Cropped to about 505 W and 50% H

Thank you

Loi

[Jeannean Ryman]

Very nice capture Loi. Nice detail and sharpness. Gotta love that look it's giving you! Did you lighten the tail area? Looks a bit weird on my monitor...like it's too washed out or hazy.

[Jeff Cashdollar]

Loi,

I really like this picture!

Good comments above and might be an opportunity to fine tune the mid-tones but on balance I like the feel and colors.

I love feel of free fall or something about the flight position in this image attracts me. You could play with the subject placement and move him more in the LLHC corner but on balance it is a strong shot. Fantastic wing poison, nice eye, muted background and solid field techniques to adjust for low light and use a tripod. Nice capture keep em coming!

I too use manual mode too, how do you set the exposure did you meter off the sky or shoot and adjust based on histogram?

[Kerry Perkins]

Hi Loi, this is your best one to date! The exposure looks fine to me, good job assessing the exposure in manual mode. Nice color, detail, and wing position. This hawk has obviously been trained to fly in front of you, unlike others I know... But seriously, good work all around and I look forward to meeting this one!

[Loi Nguyen]

Loi,

I really like this picture!

Good comments above and might be an opportunity to fine tune the mid-tones but on balance I like the feel and colors.

I love feel of free fall or something about the flight position in this image attracts me. You could play with the subject placement and move him more in the LLHC corner but on balance it is a strong shot. Fantastic wing poison, nice eye, muted background and solid field techniques to adjust for low light and use a tripod. Nice capture keep em coming!

I too use manual mode too, how do you set the exposure did you meter off the sky or shoot and adjust based on histogram?

Jeff, thank you for your comments. For exposure, I started with sunny 16 rule and kid if judging how much I should open up since the light was very weak, then I confirmed by looking at histogram. I should re-read Artie's books and remind myself how to meter off the sky. If you don't mind, please give me one sentence how you do it. Thank you.

[Loi Nguyen]

Hi Loi, this is your best one to date! The exposure looks fine to me, good job assessing the exposure in manual mode. Nice color, detail, and wing position. This hawk has obviously been trained to fly in front of you, unlike others I know... But seriously, good work all around and I look forward to meeting this one!

Kerry, no trained hawk here! You will get to meet him/ her, not sure which.

[Loi Nguyen]

Very nice capture Loi. Nice detail and sharpness. Gotta love that look it's giving you! Did you lighten the tail area? Looks a bit weird on my monitor...like it's too washed out or hazy.

Jeannean, thank you for pointing out the wash out area. The original RAW Ike was fine, but since the light was of weak and the right wing so dark, I bumped up exposure by 0.5EV in LR as well as increased the shadow and dark levels.