A Hawk on Loop Road in Big Cypress National Preserve

[ChrisCallahan]

Here is another image... Thanks for your patience on the previous! 7D, 300 2.8 + TC 2x, @ F8, ISO 1250, shutter 1/500 (I think...); cropped massively from the whole image (this was as close as I could get... not a lot of manouevring on loop road!). The bird is clutching the remains of a fish, and was calling to its mate. Stopped to f8 to keep the bird in focus and because my 300 2.8 + 2x TC is pretty soft at 5.6 (but is wild sharp at f11!). Did not have the tripod. Wanted high ISO due to handholding (had been shooting several hours already) and because the bird was moving a lot. Photoshop removed a large branch to the left, some interfering moss and a fern from it's tail.


http://www.flickr.com/photos/april_f...hy/7288614048/



http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8167/7..._3cf410e86a.jp


Sorry the picture is not showing up on the thumbnail on the main forum. I cannot figure out how to make this work...

[Joel Eade]

I like the pose, the stare and the foot raised up is neat!

The image, on my monitor, looks too bright and sort of washed out to a degree. Especially the plumage and the perch. A levels adjustment and using selective color to boost the black on the neutral channel may help.

[Jeff Cashdollar]

Chris,

Welcome to BPN, you demonstrate solid field technique with this post, raising the ISO to compensate for HHing - well done. It is important to get a sharp image with bird photography and a trade off with ISO is smart thinking. That being said with my 7D, I never go beyond 800 and usually carry a flash/BB and stay around 400. . What did the histogram say, was it clipped on the right. Blowing out detail in the sky will not necessary hurt the shot but the bright lights in the background distract the eye from the subject. Joel provides solid advise for post processing improvements remember the subject needs to look like a SUBJECT of a photo - this is washed out and the mid tones are out of balance, levels and curves would really help make the image pop! The picture is a bit tight but in the woods it can be hard to control the frame - keep at it - posting and posting is the way to improve. Visit the Education and Tutorial Forum as well - some great threads to be found referencing reading materiall like the "Art of Bird Photography and "Digital Basics" Keep posting and commenting on the work of others,..

[Kerry Perkins]

Chris, as a participant you have to host your images on another site, and those images do not show as a thumbnail. As a member, your images can be hosted on the BPN site and the thumbs will show. Welcome to BPN, we look forward to more images!