Here is another Willet shot, hope you like it.
1D4 500mm f/5.6 1/2000sec ISO 400.
here is a large version if you have a high res screen.

Here is another Willet shot, hope you like it.
1D4 500mm f/5.6 1/2000sec ISO 400.
here is a large version if you have a high res screen.
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Hard to critique your photos, they are so good, but I think a bit larger crop with more room at the bottom would look better.
Dan Kearl
Cracker BIF Arash, I also can fault this one, very sharp with great pose and wing position. Blue BG also adds nicely.
Arash, great one. Same series? Nice pose, colors, bkgd and sharpness.
Picture perfect Arash! Eye contact and sharpness are excellent.
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Another wonderful flight image! Great wing position, excellent flight angle and eye contact, and lovely BG!
I'm surprised at the amount of blur at the wing tip for 1/2000.
Well, I will be odd man out here. Actually way out. Though the image is sharp, the EXP is right on, and the BKGR is quite nice, this in my opinion is not up to Arash's usual standards. Why? The blurring of the near wingtip is especially distracting; with the wing not fully raised the wing-tip is closer to us than it would have been had the near-wing been in the full-up position. And you cannot get away from the fact that out-of-focus stuff on this side of the point of sharpest focus is almost always detrimental to an image. I am guessing that some misplaced feathers on the top of the head have given the bird an unusual flat-headed look that is uncharacteristic of this species. Lastly the unusually full crop (???) also gives the bird a odd look (and shape).
Shame on you for setting the bar so high.
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Thanks Artie although having photographed willets for a while,I have to say I don't see anything unusual about the willet at all, it looks natural to me so I am not sure what you mean by "flat" and "unusual", the bird looked healthy I posted another shot earlier.
I do wish both wings were fully raised too but when willets fly so close to water they don't go full stroke up or down (see the previous image in this series).
Any ways thanks for your comments and all the comments above.
Last edited by arash_hazeghi; 07-30-2011 at 03:45 PM.
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The top of the bird's head looks flattened. And it looks like a raptor with a full crop, the unusual bulge below the neck.
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Amazing IQ, sharpness, light and bg. I love the bird angle. The large version looks spectacular.
A very well done from me.

Here is a 100% crop of willet's head
Attachment 97716
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and here is the same bird prior to flying
![]()
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Looks fantastic to me. I see no problem with the head being flat, nor the blurred wings. If anything the blurred wings give a pleasing effect of motion which is a great bonus IMHO. Next time you take such fantastic flight shot - make sure you ask the bird to fix its hair....![]()
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Note the relatively rounded head and the lack of any bulge in the crop.
My comments were made honestly yet you seem a bit defensive. I comment very favorably on virtually every image that you post. If you would prefer that I not comment honestly on your images, let me know.
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ps; Why is this titled Willet MKII? Am I missing something or is it a typo?
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Defensive?Not at all. I post here to get feedback. You mentioned that the Willet looks unnatural but I still don't see why. I am eager to learn what is it that you find unnatural about and that's why I posted two additional images. To my eyes the willet in all of these looks OK. Are you talking about the hump in the neck? Can you post a willet head shot and show me which part of willet's head is unnatural? I just want to learn.
I did mention that I agreed with you about the near wing position and I did appreciate your comments
Last edited by arash_hazeghi; 07-31-2011 at 11:04 AM.
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Oh because I posted one earielr http://www.birdphotographers.net/for...llet-in-flight This was a frame in the same series so I called it MKII![]()
Last edited by arash_hazeghi; 07-31-2011 at 11:14 AM.
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So here is a different willet
When I compare the two willets I think I understand what you are seeing. the forehead looks more rounded and there is a bulge in the neck area but it is smaller. It looks like the willet here had retracted its head compared to their normal flight posture, all I can say is that this one was flying faster than usual and very close to the water so maybe it wanted to protect its head?
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Hi Arash, your larger version looks great. Good flying posture, and nicely separated from the water BG.
Yes you are understanding what I am saying. The Willet in Pane 20 has a more naturally rounded head and the neck and upper breast have only a faint bulge (that is likely normal). I am glad that you are just trying to learn rather than being defensive. And I am glad that you finally are seeing what I was talking about :)
BIRDS AS ART Blog: great info and lessons, lots of images with our legendary BAA educational Captions; we will not sell you junk. 30+ years of long lens experience/e-mail with gear questions.
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Excellent shot, Arash! Love the composition, lighting and sharpness on this image.