Black kites hunting snake - anyway to improve the picture?

[Amirtharaj Williams]

Shot this pair going after a snake that one had been hustled into dropping a second earlier. It is cropped. Is there any way to improve this picture at all?

Camera data: Canon 1d Mark II, 400/5.6, 1/3200 and 400 ISO

thanks for your suggestions

best
Christy

[John Chardine]

Great action here Christy! Unique. Too bad you cannot see the face of the right hand bird. I tried a tighter crop left to right and it seemed to work. Also I would run some NR in the BG and boost the saturation some.

I can't figure out what the long thin thing is, sticking out of the right hand bird at about 7 o'clock. Is it part of the snake??

[Amirtharaj Williams]

Thanks John. The 7 'O' clock thing is the spread out tail - I think. I will do what you suggested and repost.

best
Christy

[Tony Whitehead]

I agree with John's suggestion. I might remove the OOF tree on the skyline and there are a few spots of sensor dust showing in the sky.

[Amirtharaj Williams]

Here is the repost based on John's advice.

thanks
Christy

[Fabs Forns]

Very unique capture. Repost is an improvement, big welcome to BPN and thanks for your membership support :)

[John Chardine]

I like the repost! Love the layering of the different habitats. The tree in the distance is so iconic, it should stay, just wish it were somewhere else.

[Arthur Morris]

I like the repost! Love the layering of the different habitats. The tree in the distance is so iconic, it should stay, just wish it were somewhere else.

Me too. No problema with a QM or two. Having the tree in the center of a HORZ is a no-no... :) :) :)

[Arthur Morris]

ps: In the first two versions y'all missed a big dust spot in the lower left part of the frame....

[Amirtharaj Williams]

Thanks everyone. I really enjoyed the process of learning. I am hoping to learn QMs and try to attempt Artie's edit.

best
Christy