Red-tailed Hawk preening

[Duane Noblick]

Photographed this 2nd year Red-tailed Hawk a few months ago on a fallen tree right after a thunderstorm. It took advantage while being soaking wet to preen.

Some whitewash was cloned out near the shadow of it's right wing on the fallen tree and if I had to do it over again I would have moved to my left or right to remove the OOF vertical tree in the BG.

Canon 1D IV, Canon 500mm f/4L, 1/1000" @ f/11, ISO 800

[LinzRiverBalmer]

Stunning image, not an easy capture, I love this. Posing with the pretty feathers.

i agree about the vertical tree.

would either clone some green in over it or maybe crop the photo down a bit on top to be rid of a small portion of that tree.

definitely a keeper

[Grace Scalzo]

What a wonderful opportunity! Agree with your assessment on the tree, but and easy fix, if your ethics allow. You have no idea how many times when viewing my imported images I ask myself why I didn't move an inch or two. We are all constantly learning.

[Raymond Lee]

Great shot! Nice capture of the preening action! I agree with the tree, and it can be easily fixed, which is still part of the photography process.

[Daniel Cadieux]

What an awesome preening pose!! Nice perch, BG, techs. The vertical comp works well, I'd just crop a bit more from the bottom to avoid the small gap in lower right corner. That small OOF twig in the BG is an easy fix via clone and/or patch tools...but agree it is better to notice it in the field and move a tad if it is feasible.

[Marina Scarr]

Killer preening pose and love the messy look on the bird's head. The tree does distract but it's an easy fix and would bring this image to a new level.