White tailed Hawk - PP with NIK Extraction

[Loi Nguyen]

I have posted a version of this image here

http://www.birdphotographers.net/for...ead.php/109477


but was unhappy with the details on the white feathers, so decided to get my hand on a copy of NIK Extraction software and give it a try. Appreciate your comemnts and feedback.

1DX
500f4 II + 2X III
1/2000
F8
ISO-800
Handheld

I wish I had used an F10 or so to improve the sharpness. Handholding a 1000-mm on a static subject up high was tough and I had to kneel to keep the lens stable, thus a relatively steep shooting angle.
Image almost full frmae, cropped for compostion and rotation.
Cloned out some distracting branches

Thank you

Loi

[jack williamson]

Looks good Loi, the detail in the whites is very good.

[Randy Stout]

Loi:

The whites on the original were ok on my best monitor, but just a little too bright on the laptop. This post shows a bit more detail at the risk of a little tan creeping in. I would probably shoot for something in between.

For most mere mortals like me, shooting at 1000mm can be a challenge. A tripod can be your friend in these situations.

Cheers

Randy

[Sanjeev Aurangabadkar]

Nice Pose Loi! At 1000mm handheld this is good stuff!

[Marina Scarr]

You did well handholding at 1000mm. When shooting with a 2x TC, you want to try at one stop less than wide open. So with a 2x you are at F8, and I would try to shoot at F10 or F11 depending on how far I am from my subject. This lens works very nicely with a 2x and I use one quite often. Whites look good. I am wishing for a little more space, esp on top, to make this raptor look a little lower in the frame. Too bad you had to kneel to photograph it b/c that's what would have made the difference in a better angle.

[Loi Nguyen]

You did well handholding at 1000mm. When shooting with a 2x TC, you want to try at one stop less than wide open. So with a 2x you are at F8, and I would try to shoot at F10 or F11 depending on how far I am from my subject. This lens works very nicely with a 2x and I use one quite often. Whites look good. I am wishing for a little more space, esp on top, to make this raptor look a little lower in the frame. Too bad you had to kneel to photograph it b/c that's what would have made the difference in a better angle.

Thank you Marina. I wish I had remembered to stop down with the 2X. I normally shoot with a tripod when I use a 2X, but I didn't carry a tripod on this trip, fully expecting that I would be shooting from a boat, but that plan got foiled by the weather :(.

Loi