Results 1 to 18 of 18

Thread: Kestral on Pine

  1. #1
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Long Island, New York
    Posts
    6,275
    Threads
    574
    Thank You Posts

    Default Kestral on Pine

    Attached Images Attached Images
     
    Yesterday afternoon I was watching a backlit red tailed hawk. All of a sudden this little speedster dive bombed him then flew to the lit side and perched in a little pine. I quick masked out a bit of a green tree line on the top edge. The background is grassland that is for sale and I assume will one day be developed; a huge habitat loss for the harriers, meadowlarks, and hawks that live there.

    I'll probably end up trimming a bit off the top and right side, what do you think?

    1/1600, f11, iso800
    Canon 1dmk4, 500f4 + 2.0 tc + blubb from car

  2. #2
    Avian Moderator Randy Stout's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    SW Michigan
    Posts
    14,112
    Threads
    820
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Grace:

    Lovely colors, pleasant BG, nice wing display.

    The face seems a little soft to me, not as crisp as the near wing. Was this much of a crop?

    Yes to a bit off the top. Not sure where to make the cut on the right without crowding him a bit.

    Cheers

    Randy
    MY BPN ALBUMS

    "Tact is the art of making a point without making an enemy" Sir Isaac Newton

  3. #3
    Lifetime Member gail bisson's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    Nova Scotia
    Posts
    12,731
    Threads
    910
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Hi Grace,
    I am looking at your image with my IPad so I may not be spot on with my critique! How wonderful that you got 2 different raptors on the same tree. I like the wing pose and head looks sharp to me but I am on my IPad. Love the complimentary BG and the soft colors in this image.
    I would take some off the bottom as I find all the dense foliage "heavy" and drags my eye downward. I know you are not fond of square crops but I think it would look nice with this image. Sometimes " it's good to be square"!!
    gail

  4. #4
    Lifetime Member Stu Bowie's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    Centurion, South Africa
    Posts
    21,360
    Threads
    1,435
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Hi Grace, great landing pose, and well timed to capture the swept back wing position. I like the overall colours on this fellow, and although the overall sharpness is good, the near wing does seem a little sharper than the rest of the kestral. Comp wise, a little off the top wont harm this, and I feel coming in about 2cm ( 1in ) from the right will work too.

  5. #5
    BPN Viewer Dave Leroy's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Location
    Delta, BC
    Posts
    3,789
    Threads
    380
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Good for you Grace to be so quick to get a lovely pose of this little hawk. I really like the camera settings.
    Not sure what to suggest for composition, I guess because i like this one.

  6. #6
    Forum Participant Richard Unsworth's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    Ourique, Beja, Portugal
    Posts
    2,115
    Threads
    495
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Bit off the top as suggested, nothing else to add to what has been said; its a top shot

  7. #7
    BPN Viewer Charles Glatzer's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    NC
    Posts
    1,690
    Threads
    363
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Grace,

    Killer pic! A different crop would further enhance this fine image.
    Guess sunny f/16 works :~) As does the higher shutter speed and shooting at f/11 with the 2x...you go girl.

    Hugs,

    Chas

  8. #8
    BPN Member Bill Dix's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Princeton, NJ
    Posts
    12,487
    Threads
    1,892
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Tough little guys to capture. Well done to get him in nice light, good HA and wing position. I agree a little off top and right would help, but fine image either way.

  9. #9
    BPN Member jack williamson's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    south mississippi
    Posts
    1,979
    Threads
    107
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    I really like the BG color, it compliments the kestrel. Wing position is very good, excellent exposure. The head may be a little soft but this still looks very good to me.

    Jack

  10. #10
    BPN Member dankearl's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Portland, Oregon
    Posts
    8,825
    Threads
    1,355
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Very nice photo of this guy, I never see them land on anything but wires and fence posts where I live.
    I don't mind it as is, a small crop all around maybe at most.
    Dan Kearl

  11. #11
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    central NY
    Posts
    2,414
    Threads
    222
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Gorgeous, Grace. Captures the intricate beauty of this bird so well. I would definitely crop some from the top and right, I want so much to see it even closer. Great job capturing this elusive bird so well.

  12. #12
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    Guelph, Ontario, Canada
    Posts
    8,509
    Threads
    827
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Great moment captured, Grace. Fantastic shot of this good looking falcon.

  13. #13
    BPN Member Morkel Erasmus's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    South Africa
    Posts
    14,858
    Threads
    1,235
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    lovely exposure and pose, nice setting too
    I agree the face could use some more sharpening
    Morkel Erasmus

    WEBSITE


  14. #14
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Long Island, New York
    Posts
    6,275
    Threads
    574
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Thanks to everyone who looked at and commented on this image. Here's the story with it. FIrst off, it is an image that I have dreamed of creating for many years at this location. When I saw it in camera it looked pretty good but I was extremely disappointed with the quality of it when I pulled it into Lightroom. It is a big crop, more than 50%. I have motion blur in the head, due to a stiff wind which also caused the bird to give me that nice wing position, and also it suffers from the focal length (2x) plus a little atmospheric junk (air was dirty from wind). So all you who think the head is soft are spot on. But given all that, I had no intention of hitting the delete button so processed it and sharpened it as best as I could. (But no amount of sharpening will make this one perfect) A larger version actually looks a little better. I'll never be able to get any closer at this location, and may never get another op like this one, altho I will keep trying, but for now I plan to rework the comp (Thanks Chas and all), print it and be happy with it, flaws and all. While I never would promote accepting substandard work, I have come to learn to appreciate something that I consider beautiful and is truly the best that I can produce in a given circumstance.

  15. #15
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Location
    Geldern, Germany
    Posts
    3,557
    Threads
    216
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Excellent light, details and bg.

  16. #16
    Super Moderator arash_hazeghi's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    San Francisco, California, United States
    Posts
    18,545
    Threads
    1,318
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    very nice light and pose, good job with that 2X
    New! Sony Capture One Pro Guide 2022
    https://arihazeghiphotography.com/Gu.../Sony_C1P.html


    ------------------------------------------------
    Visit my blog
    http://www.arihazeghiphotography.com/blog

  17. #17
    BPN Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Dallas, Texas.
    Posts
    6,260
    Threads
    426
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Grace, well done in a tough situation. And terrific job on processing this. I like the comp. Best part is the raised wings...otherwise the comp. would have appeared quite unbalanced.

  18. #18
    Ofer Levy
    Guest

    Default

    Great light, colours, BG and pose. Perch is a bit dominant IMHO but still a lovely image.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Web Analytics