Chukar

[Ray Rozema]

chukar: not native to the US but according to Sibley's there is a ferral population here. I don't think this was a local escapee.

Later afternoon in the shade.
Nikon D 200 600mm 1.4 TC
Tripod
F 5.6 SS 1/180
ISO 400 0 EV Meter matrix
flash backfill -1 1/3

On home computer exposure OK on another computer looks a little dark. Is is a little dark?
No cloning done but is there posterizing in the background from the conversion to small JPEG?
Birds looks a little soft but I think that is the nature of the feathers as the eye and beak look sharp.

comments and suggestions welcomed
Thanks Ray

[wendell westfall]

I've never seen one but does not look dark to me; however, it looks a bit soft to me.

[Mark Young]

G'day Ray,

I'm looking at it on my work Mac with a IBM monitor connected to it. On the Mac it looks fine, but on the IBM it looks a bit dark, and that's with the IBM brightness turned up to 100%.

Love the composition, the low angle is really nice.

[Peter Farrell]

Yes it looks a little dark to me as well. But a very nice image. I like the low point of view and detail/sharpness of the head. I agree the body looks a liitle soft.

[Jackie Schuknecht]

Looks OK a my monitor. BG showcases the bird nicely. A bit off the top??? Just my opinion though. Think the eye and beak look sharp, might just give it a bit more sharpening for web anyways.

[Lance Peters]

Looks OK a my monitor. BG showcases the bird nicely. A bit off the top??? Just my opinion though. Think the eye and beak look sharp, might just give it a bit more sharpening for web anyways.

Ditto - Agree with Jackie :)

[Bob Decker]

Brightness looks fine here. I agree with there being a bit too much space at the top. I knew Chukkars were popular birds on shooting preserves. I wasn't aware that there were any ferral communities of them in the US.

[Katie Rupp]

Very striking bird and looks good on my monitor. I also like the low angle and the alert pose.

[Ray Rozema]

Thanks to everyone for the comments and suggestions.
PS The birds were along the road and I had to go back home get my camera. Fortunately they were still there. I have not seen them since. May never see them again.
:D