Adult Northern Goshawk

[Jackie Schuknecht]

From the weekend shoot, cropped to pano. My favourite part is the two closest feathers tipped upwards and the eyes.
I know Gus is probably going to tell me to increase the contrast.
40D
f/5
1/1250s
ISO 400
100-400 @ 150mm
HH
+2/3
AI Servo
Checked my Sibley's and the Adult had red eyes, I guess different eye colours in different regions??
Took out the jessies, added a foot.

C & C appreciated!

[Harold Davis]

love the eyes!!! and the head on view is really neat!! i would NOT add contrast to this. it looks great as is!! would love to see this as a print.

[Nonda Surratt]

Yes great eyes! No eye are same color all over, just a first year bird I'd guess?

Yes a print would be very nice:-)

[Phil Ertel]

I like this. The background of light dried grasses really lets the bird stand out. The head on look is intense and those eyes burn holes right though you. Well done. I am not the expert but I think the contrast is OK as is. If it were mine (and this is very minor) I might try and tone down the one darker grass/reed that intersects with the bird's wing.

Well Done!

Phil

[Gus Cobos]

Great capture, composition and image Lady Jackie...The only thing I might suggest is cloning out that single dark vertical grass blade in back of his wing...my eye keeps going there, and it sticks out from the rest of the background...good show I like the flight angle and the sharp details...:cool:

[denise ippolito]

Great shot Jackie, Really good stuff-like the pano and the eyes are perfect!

[Oscar Zangroniz]

Like everything about it. The eye and the soft colors are beautiful.
Regards,

[Mark Schack]

Crazy idea ... his eyes and head are so appealing and his expression is so intense I want to see it closer. What about a crop that zooms in on his head?

[Jackie Schuknecht]

Thought some of you might find these behind the shots interesting. We had four different types of hawks, the last one found a wild Harrier and took off with it which ended our day early but just as well it was freezing:) The bird had a radio transmitter on so I'm sure they found it.
Unedited jpegs.

[Jackie Schuknecht]

The second shot.

[Jackie Schuknecht]

Gone!! BTW thanks for the comments on the original post. I will remove the grass and Harold never thought of a print but will print it up!

[Desmond Chan]

Allow me to be the contrarian ;)

Like the sharpness and the details, but I find the background is too busy that the hawk is kind of lost in the photo. To me, the wing position is not helping here, too, in this kind of background. It would be better if the hawk could fill more of the frame and the wings were at least a bit either up or down.

[Alfred Forns]

Your killing me the flight images Jackie !!! Looking good Would only wish it was bigger in frame !! Does make a difference with detail !! Looking good !!

[Lance Peters]

HI Jackie - love the head on pose - well done :)

[Nonda Surratt]

Jackie,

Thanks for the extra images! What a great day you had and oh how fun it would be!

[Richard Waas]

Jackie, those eyes!!!! Nice job, congrats...... And I concur, it was very cold!