Tawny Eagle (Pale Form)

[Ken Watkins]

Taken in Southern Moremi Game Resrve, Botswana, 26th April 2010.

EOS 1D MkIV

500mm F4 IS hand-held

F5, ISO 640(oops), 1/8000

[christopher galeski]

very nice,good details,BG good ,the few clouds add to the bg nicely.thanks.

[Chris van Rooyen]

Lovely light, sharpness and posture! Like the suggestion of clouds. The species is a juvenile Black-chested Snake-eagle.

[Phil Ertel]

Hi Ken,
I think think this is an enjoyable image. I like the angle of capture and the eye contact it provides. I like your placement of the bird in frame which allows for space for the bird to fly into. The clouds in the sky are a plus. I find your image well exposed and sharp. I find myself wishing to see a little more or a little less of the right eye but, I am OK with it as presented. Adding a couple of percentage points to the blacks and neutrals in selective colors in photoshop might be something to consider. Again a very pleasing capture and thanks for sharing.

[Ken Watkins]

Chris,

I bow to your much greater knowledge, that will teach me to trust the guide. I am absolutely useless in identifying Raptors, just checked Albert Fronemans image in "Complete Photographic Fiel Guide Birds of South Africa" and still cannot tell.

Phil,

Unfortunately the entire sequence has only 1 and a bit eyes.

[Phil Ertel]

Hi Ken, I do like the image as presented and would be trilled if this were in my files. I was just expressing a wish. I wish to be taller and better looking; I am still waiting for that wish to come true.:)

[Ken Watkins]

I wish to be taller and better looking; I am still waiting for that wish to come true.:)

It could be worse you could be fat, old and balding like me:)

[Judy Lynn Malloch]

Beautiful image and I love the determination that is portrayed in this capture. Wonderful eye contact and excellent detail Ken. Love it !

[Bill Jobes]

This is an outstanding image in every respect, Ken.

I love the color of the feathers, and the fantastic body language.

TFS !

[Vince Maidens]

The 1dmkiv and 500mm in the rights hands is quite a combo. I love this shot. The detail is incredible.

[Kiran Poonacha]

beautiful light, pose and the BG works well...

[Arthur Morris]

Ditto Phil's excellent critique above. I would add that you had--by luck--been thirty feet to your left the image would likely have been even better: that would have provided a better view of the bird's right eye and centered the feet against the tail. Love the clouds and the soft light.

[Morkel Erasmus]

this is just crackling sharp Ken! awesome light, pose and sharpness. the sky behind the bird makes it pop so nicely. agree with Phil and Artie's comments but you handled what came at your with aplomb.

[Markus Jais]

Beautiful shot with great wing pose, great light and very good composition.

Markus

[Ken Watkins]

Thanks to everybody for your kind comments, I figured that if I kept trying for long enough I would get a better image:)
My self critique is that this my best ever BIF image.
Now I need to brush up on my identification!

[Harshad Barve]

Ken , this is outstanding image
TFS