Thanks Fabs, for helping earlier. Now I am home and can sort through my photos. This shot taken on a overcast day on Wolfe Island. I was crawling with Rough-Legged Hawks but lighting was bad. I have enjoyed your website..lots of fantastic photos, hopefully I can learn a lot. I am trying to photograph all the birds in my first bird book "Golden Guide to Birds of North America" 1963 Edition, 505 birds on film (not all great shots), 194 more to go. This is my first post. I am learning the rules here so bear with me.
All My Shots Hand Held
D300 Nikon 200-400 vr F4
1/500s +0.3EV F11 ISO 1000
Original was 14.25 x 9.5
Cropped to 7.5 x 5
Thanks
Last edited by Paul Lagasi; 02-06-2008 at 02:01 PM.
Reason: Missing info request
I can't help comment on the comment! Steep learning curves are good- it means that you learn something fast. Shallow-sloping learning curves are what you don't want because you work hard learning something and you have little to show for it. I agree that this site produces a steep learning curve but this is a good thing!
You shooting information will be helpful on posts, especially F stops, ISO, shutter speed, and lenses used.
I have spent much time photographing these wintering raptors the past two years - I love their hovering while hunting!
Your overall composition and elements of it are very pleasing- the weathered fence, background, and diagonal fence line. I might wish the bird were a wee bit larger in frame, but more important, I wish it were just a bit less soft. The head and chest area are a little bit soft-not sure if additional sharpening selectively might help. Hope you are seeing snowy owls over there too.
Paul
I've come to like images with the bird small in the frame. I like the components of the image....fence, vegetation, snow, and bird. It gives me a sense habitat for this hawk. Also....it has a 3D appearance which I especially like. The hawk does appear somewhat soft but I think that you can get away with it on an image this size. If you were to print this one in a larger size, it might be a different story.
Welcome. You've started off with a nice first post and you've received some good advice. I like the bird, fence, and bg(except for the building?). Perhaps a crop from the right and a small crop from top and bottom.
Haybails - buildings, same thing. Your repost is exactly what I meant except a little less crop on top. I think you want to crop just enough so the haybails don't look like buildings. One other thing that I think would help this image would be to selectively sharpen the bird, but not the bg. It looks USM was applied to the entire image resulting in a grainy bg.
Hi All
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