Hawk Eagle on Acacia

[Sanjeev Aurangabadkar]

A Hawk eagle just about to take off from an Acacia tree in Serengeti NP, TZ.
5D IV
500mm
1/3200
f/9
ISO 800
Hand Held

[Steve Kaluski]

Hawk eagle

Are you sure Sanjeev, unless they have renamed the species, I thought it was a 'Pale chanting Goshawk', but there again I'm more up to speed with the four legged subjects.

[Sanjeev Aurangabadkar]

I guess you are right Steve, this is what our Guide told us! Just checked the book and it looks like a Goshawk! Thanks. What do you think of the image :-) ?

[Isaac Grant]

Cool pose and very nice intense stare on this Goshawk. Details look nice but the light was too harsh here causing deep shadows on the underpart of the bird.

[William Dickson]

Very nice. love the pose on the bird, looks almost 3D here. Those talons look great. I think the perch and the BG work well here. Nice POV.

Will

[Steve Kaluski]

I guess you are right Steve, this is what our Guide told us!

The only reason I said it was a PCGH was that I had submitted a similar image in my 'Distinction' panel for the Royal Photographic Society.

What do you think of the image :-) ?

Well, swopping to the 5D4 has certainly upped your image IQ and something I have been telling you for a very long time. I like the pose, was it facing into the wind as to me it appears as if it's about to take off? A bit tight at the foot, you want more image content below I feel. Techs look good, nice DoF, SS I guess you were ready for it to fly, ISO800 a breeze. The colours look very faithful and well balanced, with a soft, pastel, muted backdrop created from that clean light you get there. Yes you can do some subtle tweaks to the legs & eye, but mainly cosmetics, but it would just add. I feel now Sanjeev you now need to hone some of those PP skills to maximise what you are capturing. It's nothing complicated or requiring truckloads of software, just expand things more and build on some simple adjustments which can really elevate the image. Trust me, after all these years since LR was launch I found a neat little trick that just can make all the difference, but folk just pass it by...

Not sure if our paths will cross at the end of the year as it's a flying stop in Gurgaon before flying down to meet Dicky again (a Tiger Conservationist/Photographer) and my very good friend Andy, will keep you posted.

[David Salem]

Fantastic subject on a great acacia perch with a cool BG too. The only problem is it was way late in the morning and the sun has cast shadows on the bird along with the light being to harsh. Some eye work would help this one a bit too. Nice close look at this beautiful raptor.

[Alex Becker]

Very cool pose perch and BG. The harsh light as been covered but it doesn't bother me that much here. The clear view of the talons are great. I'm not sure why but the bit of branch touching the upper chest slightly bothers me and I think I would clone just that section out, but it's not a big deal either way. TFS