Harrier

[Dave Leroy]

From about a month ago early one morning. I preferred this pose even though the eye and beak shadow are a bit of nuisance.
7D, 500mm, 1/500, f/8, ISO400. Cropped from sitting on a gate post. He is looking down at a couple of Gadwall that had attracted my attention just before he flew up onto the post.

[Randy Stout]

Dave:

Sharp, well exposed, good DOF,shadows aren't intrusive for me.

I think your crop on the bottom is good, maybe just a tiny sliver more for a little more room beneath the feather edge and bottom edge of frame.

Was this full frame?

Nice that he let you in so close.

Cheers

Randy

[laurie golden]

I like the pose. Great close shot of a shy bird. The shadows are so light they just add to the depth of the photo.

[Dave Leroy]

Thanks for the comments and I am glad shadows are not a nuisance. Yes Randy this is cropped. I had been out very early to see if I could get a flight shot and had lost sight of him on one side of a clump of bushes. I walked to the other side, saw the two ducks and was trying to figure out what to do and plop, he landed on a gate post 7 or 8 paces away just above the ducks. I framed as well as I could but needed to remove the post. I probably have some room at bottom.

[PhilCook]

I too would be inclined to crop a little more off the bottom as Randy suggests, lovely portrait though showing the layered dorsal feathers beautifully...love that eye