Lanner Falcon

[Morkel Erasmus]

Hi everyone! Back from an amazing (albeit too short) 11 day trip to the Kalahari, specifically the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park.

Mountains of images to add to my already backlogged processing list...but found time today for a quick one.

Being Winter down here there were far less Raptors than usual... :(

This Lanner Falcon was hunting some Laughing Doves as they congregated around a waterhole in front of one of the wilderness camps we stayed in. It's a considerable crop (from 5288 pixels to 2039 wide). My 7D had no problem tracking this rocket against a background of varying contrast.

All feedback highly valued!

Techs:
Canon 7D with 100-400mm L IS USM @ 400mm
f6.3 @ 1/2500 SS @ ISO-1000
Shutter Priority, Exp +0.7

[Jeff Parker]

I would like a little off the bottom so the bird is not centered vertically. Great light.

[Axel Hildebrandt]

I like the light, wing position and BG and might go for a tighter crop. Interesting, the bird looks like Peregrines here.

[Grant Atkinson]

Hi Morkel, I like this shot. Good job of tracking here against a busy BG, and good exposure on the bird. I liked the wing position, and the colours, and this shot shows some of the lanner's speed. If anything, I would like to see a slightly tighter crop, maybe with a tiny bit less space in front of the bird, that would focus even more attention for me on the obviously powerful flight of this potent raptor.
TFS
Grant

[arash_hazeghi]

nice wing positions and good BG, since this shot is not panning I feel standard crop will work better than pano.

TFS

[Judy Lynn Malloch]

Beautiful bird Morkel and great timing. This image really gives the feeling of speed. I agree that a tighter crop would also be nice. Thanks for sharing this beauty with us.

[John Ippolito]

Love subject, and the pose. Nice job catching this quick mover. Agree on crop suggestion, but you may not have the pixels based on your comments above. Well done Morkel.

[Fabs Forns]

Actually I'm OK with the crop as presented, I like the inclusion of the tree on the left, and there's the right proportion behind him according to the space on the right. Placement of bird is on the Golden Mean :)
Good job tracking the bird.

[Harshad Barve]

excellent image Morkelbhai and fully agreed with Fabs here
TFS

[Arthur Morris]

Love the SH and the wing position. If it fits with your personal ethics, some large 60% Clone Stamp Tool work would smooth out the BKGR.

[Stu Bowie]

Hi Mork, hope you had a fruitful trip, and have plenty of winners to share with us. Good wing position, sharp, and falcon is separated from the BG very well. Well captured.

[Kiran Poonacha]

Nice light and WP bhai, I loved the pop acheived here..

[Ákos Lumnitzer]

Looks pretty awesome despite the big crop. Lovely pose and sharp as well. Congrats! :)

[Morkel Erasmus]

thanks for all the kind comments folks...

Artie I will prefer to keep the BG as is, cause I quite like the camelthorn tree in the distance - it gives it Kalahari context for me :)