Looking for trouble!

[keith mitchell]

Black Grouse.
Nikon D4
Nikon 300ml 2.8
1/2000@f3.5
iso 500.

Really surprised how aggressive these birds can be, certainly make the feathers fly.

Thanks for looking and your comments on my last Grouse post much appreciated.

[Tiago Caravana]

You've hit the jackpot with this one! Great HA and action suggested by the open beak and shouting. In my personal taste, I would have putted less FG and a bit more BG vertically.

[Ian Wilson]

Beautiful work Keith. Ticks all the right boxes for me. Regards, Ian

[Jonathan Ashton]

Keith this is an absolute gem, light focus DOF colours abackground pose excellent. Congratulations this I think could certainly be an award winner in a comp!

[David Cowling]

This is one angry looking bird and what an excellent capture. Exposure, sharpness and pose all good. Well done. I have never seen one of these in the flesh, or should that be feather, did you take this in Lincolnshire?

[Robert Kimbrell]

Super image Keith, A good head turn, and pleasing background

[Mike Poole]

Excellent shot Leith, very much how you expect to see these birds behaving at certain times of the year. Technically good, and a great pose

[Daniel Cadieux]

Awesome pose, and the head angle is as perfect as can be with this posture! Nice low angle, comp, colours. Really nicely done.

[Diane Miller]

Well done! He looks dangerous. Lovely detail and coloration in the blacks!

[William Dickson]

Fantastic capture Keith. I loved the last one but this takes it up a notch. You have the HA and the beautiful tail feathers on this one. Great frame. Thanks for sharing

[keith mitchell]

Thanks a lot guys very much appreciated.

[christopher galeski]

That's one cracker of a shot Keith,nice calling pose,nice detail BG and light.TFS.

[Grace Scalzo]

What a fun image to view, I get the sense of this one's personality from the pose that you captured. Small sharpening halo starting over his neck, but no big deal. Nice light.

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Keith, seems the lek is proving lucrative and these guys are really photogenic.

Looking at the image I think you are just on the DoF, no problem on the FG, it's more the subject. As you had the D4 you should push the ISO, I feel there would be no harm in upping the ISO & DoF, you would still have SS. Personally flipping L to R the subject seems to sit better in frame IMHO, likewise dropping the blue out of the white tail feathers. Just watch the halo running down the back of the subject. Like the shooting angle.

TFS
Steve

[keith mitchell]

Thanks a lot guys very much appreciated.

Keith.

[Frank Schauf]

Excellent light, details and bg, Keith.

[keith mitchell]

Thanks a lot frank.