Steppe-Buzzard

[Morkel Erasmus]

I have a lot of avian images to process from my last 2 trips to Kruger, and I am falling way behind :)

This Steppe Buzzard sat nicely on a lookout perch very early one morning. The sun was still rising and it was overcast as well. This was my first trip with Nikon gear (loaned) and I was very impressed.

This buzzard is a migrant to South Africa in our summer to escape the Russian winter.

Techs:
Nikon D300s with Nikkor 200-400mm f4 VR @ 400mm
f4.0 @ 1/125 SS @ ISO-800
This is about a 50% crop

[Axel Hildebrandt]

I like the head-on look, soft light and sharpness and the line of the horizon does not cross the bird.

[Tony Whitehead]

Nice and sharp with great eye contact and soft plumage detail. I would be tempted to try and get the green to fill the BG.

[Lorant Voros]

Very nice pose and lovely light. I would also try filling the BG, but I like it as it is as well. Nice work.

[Grace Scalzo]

I like the background, might also consider trimming from the top and right (as viewed). But a very pleasing image as presented.

[denise ippolito]

Morkel, I like the head on pose and sharp details. I might take a small slice from the top but I like the blue.

[Harshad Barve]

excellent image Morkelbhai , lovely BG and killer eye contact
TFS

[Tom Graham]

Agree with DI, like blue, just small slice from top.
Tom

[Stu Bowie]

Mork, comp works well, like the headon angle, and that we can see both eyes clearly. Overall pin, and a super BG to round off.

[Morkel Erasmus]

thanks for the kind comments everyone...

here is a much closer crop - I cropped the original post in Lightroom so as to have the bird on a strong point where the lines cross on the rule-of-thirds grid.

[Grant Atkinson]

Hi Morkel, day of firsts for me on BPN, first post, first comment. I really liked the blue in the background, and the bird itself is perfectly sharp. Usually a species I find hard to get close to in southern Africa. Well done. Grant

[Morkel Erasmus]

hey Grant - welcome here (at least in a posting capacity)
thanks for the comment and looking forward to see some of your mind-blowing images!

[Dave Leroy]

Pretty impressive gear if the first is a 50% crop.
I think there is a slight lose of detail in the second, but it is still very sharp.
I like the pose and prefer the composition of the second.

[Marc Mol]

Hi Morkel

Very pleasing image, the Buzzard stands out nicely, did you use any Gaussian on the BG?
I can't remember my old 200-400 being that good for BG? :D Like it a lot!
TFS

[Morkel Erasmus]

thanks Dave & Marc - nothing extra done to the BG :)
the foliage was some distance behind the buzzard though

[Marc Mol]

thanks Dave & Marc - nothing extra done to the BG :)
the foliage was some distance behind the buzzard though

Even better ;)