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Sharp-shinned Hawk
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Sharp-shinned Hawk

by Charlie VanTassel

Gallery: AvianPosted February 18, 20091,119 views46 comments
I think that this Hawk is getting used to me. He's coming closer and doesn't seem to mind my presence any longer.

D700
500mm vr
1.4x tc
1/125 @ f/5.6
800 iso

Comments welcome

Comments

46 comments
Comment posted by Richard Ditch on February 18, 2009 at 1:11 PM
Awesome!
Registered on November 1, 2003, 1031 Posts, 12705 Comments
Comment posted by Alan Bryant on February 18, 2009 at 1:12 PM
This is such a sweet image :eek:

I can almost see you in its eye on the larger version :cool: .

Superb :toast: :toast: :toast:
Registered on March 31, 2006, 473 Posts, 1081 Comments
Comment posted by Rick Cloran on February 18, 2009 at 1:17 PM
Charlie, a beauty. The perch looks like it may be something that you can work around. Any chance of a slightly lower angle to get the light area in the lower right out? He sets off so well agains the light green and my eye keeps drifting back to the light yellow-brown. Wish I had one this nice on a Sharpie.
Registered on April 6, 2004, 119 Posts, 1989 Comments
Comment posted by Terry Sohl on February 18, 2009 at 1:17 PM
Beautiful shot. :toast:

You must be much less "objectionable" to birds than I am... :smile:
Registered on November 1, 2003, 513 Posts, 6889 Comments
Comment posted by Pramod Viswanath on February 18, 2009 at 1:34 PM
Absolute stunner! Perfect portrait, great BG, perfect head turn! :toast:
A little space on the top would have been even more awesome , but that's just me :smile:
Registered on December 4, 2008, 60 Posts, 697 Comments
Comment posted by Roy Bailey on February 18, 2009 at 1:34 PM
congratulations with this, studio quality with a wild accipiter. :toast:
Registered on November 16, 2008, 24 Posts, 486 Comments
Comment posted by Christopher Tubbs on February 18, 2009 at 2:44 PM
Awesome in every aspect!
Registered on September 17, 2007, 25 Posts, 353 Comments
Comment posted by May Haga on February 18, 2009 at 3:18 PM
Gorgeous, background, perch, depth of field, lighting, this has it all.
May
Registered on February 22, 2007, 714 Posts, 8470 Comments
Comment posted by Simon Bennett on February 18, 2009 at 3:56 PM
Glorious!!
Registered on February 4, 2007, 350 Posts, 4614 Comments
Comment posted by Rob Drummond on February 18, 2009 at 5:11 PM
Great shot Charlie - that eye is fantastic and the lighting is perfect.

cheers Rob
Registered on November 8, 2003, 617 Posts, 8267 Comments
Comment posted by Luke Ormand on February 18, 2009 at 6:05 PM
The reflection in the eye is pretty impressive. I'd like to see what it looks like blown up

- Luke
Registered on February 4, 2009, 1093 Posts, 7035 Comments
Comment posted by Keith Bauer on February 18, 2009 at 6:10 PM
Not much else to add that hasn't already been said. This is an image that has a lot of impact when you open it up. Someone commented about studio quality. It does have a studio look to it. Very very nice.
Registered on November 20, 2003, 458 Posts, 4836 Comments
Comment posted by Bill Leggett on February 18, 2009 at 6:54 PM
Can't add much to what others have said. Truly magnificent in every respect, and that eye...WOW!
Registered on July 21, 2004, 706 Posts, 3233 Comments
Comment posted by Jacinto Policarpo on February 18, 2009 at 7:03 PM
really nothing to say! AWESOME!! cheers
Registered on January 19, 2009, 59 Posts, 88 Comments
Comment posted by Lon Sharp on February 18, 2009 at 7:35 PM
As good as it gets... :toast:
Registered on December 9, 2007, 258 Posts, 9892 Comments
Comment posted by Charlie VanTassel on February 18, 2009 at 7:42 PM
Thanks all for the comments! If you look at the reflection in the eye what you are seeing is my house with a Palm tree to the left. The sun is just coming up over the top of the house (early morning light). I took this photo out of my open kitchen window, as I do with a lot of my photos. :wavey:
Registered on October 18, 2006, 644 Posts, 4801 Comments
Comment posted by Danny Shelton on February 18, 2009 at 8:32 PM
Hard to get a cleaner shot than that. Very well done! :toast:
Registered on October 2, 2007, 14 Posts, 1029 Comments
Comment posted by Sharon Hallowell on February 18, 2009 at 8:47 PM
Really, really nice! Congratulations. Sharon
Registered on November 1, 2003, 392 Posts, 4810 Comments
Comment posted by raymond j barlow on February 18, 2009 at 9:09 PM
superb Charlie! a big congrats.
Registered on March 29, 2007, 218 Posts, 964 Comments
Comment posted by KC Choo on February 18, 2009 at 10:26 PM
1st Class, Charlie! If you speak "Sharpie", please tell him to hang around!
Registered on November 15, 2004, 519 Posts, 8278 Comments
Comment posted by Nick Saunders on February 18, 2009 at 10:31 PM
Really great Sharpie photo Charlie. Neat perch and a clean background. Couldn't ask for more.
Registered on February 6, 2008, 321 Posts, 3035 Comments
Comment posted by Michael Twaddell on February 19, 2009 at 12:22 AM
Over the top! :jump: :jump:
Registered on August 16, 2007, 199 Posts, 2132 Comments
Comment posted by Paul Marcellini on February 19, 2009 at 12:34 AM
Wow, so crisp and love the background. Well capture. Two thumbs up.
Registered on November 27, 2007, 250 Posts, 2468 Comments
Comment posted by Dennis Plank on February 19, 2009 at 1:32 AM
So when do you start using the close-up lens for this guy, Charlie? Wonderful image. You used just the perfect amount of sharpening on this image. It ended up with a somewhat painterly quality, but with enormous detail. Excellent. :toast:
Registered on January 28, 2008, 1767 Posts, 23192 Comments
Comment posted by Kyle Quattromani on February 19, 2009 at 7:04 AM
Charlie....you seem to love the Raptors. They are my passion as well!! I wish I was blessed with some close encounters such as this with a Coopers or Sharp-Shinned!!

:toast: :toast:
Registered on May 22, 2006, 31 Posts, 75 Comments
Comment posted by Tom Lusk on February 19, 2009 at 12:43 PM
Wow! :eek:

Double WOW! :eek: :eek:

This is fantastic. I disagree with the minor nits that have been given. This is unnitable. :smile:
Registered on September 17, 2005, 312 Posts, 600 Comments
Comment posted by Malcolm Castro on February 19, 2009 at 2:26 PM
Wonderful image! :toast:
Registered on November 13, 2008, 18 Posts, 115 Comments
Comment posted by Ian Mason on February 19, 2009 at 7:32 PM
Just marvellous! The detail is incredible. OK, I suppose we have to look for something to suggest - the square cut branch is a teeny weeny nit :wink: But it's still a winner!
Registered on December 14, 2005, 399 Posts, 2305 Comments
Comment posted by Raymond Klassen on February 19, 2009 at 7:50 PM
Beautiful! Reminds me of an Audobon painting or something. I like the blue back against the green background. :toast: :toast:
Registered on November 30, 2008, 114 Posts, 790 Comments
Comment posted by Ron Dudley on February 19, 2009 at 9:12 PM
Whoa!!! Helluva shot Charlie. This just might be my favorite of yours and I'm kind of a connoisseur of your images. How about willing me your kitchen window!
Registered on March 30, 2007, 437 Posts, 10915 Comments
Comment posted by Mia McPherson on February 19, 2009 at 9:18 PM
Charlie

You have posted a lot of gorgeous images, this one very quickly became my favorite of them.

Awesome image.
Registered on June 25, 2007, 491 Posts, 12566 Comments
Comment posted by Gary Gulash on February 19, 2009 at 10:24 PM
Wow, nice specimen, displayed just as nice as can be. Perch is a little sparse perhaps, but dwarfed by the over all quality of the image. I'm hoping the tame hawks start showing up here soon.... :rolleyes:
Registered on January 28, 2005, 879 Posts, 12098 Comments
Comment posted by David Hemmings on February 20, 2009 at 7:50 AM
Beautiful :toast:
Registered on May 26, 2006, 178 Posts, 1680 Comments
Comment posted by mark cillo on February 20, 2009 at 9:40 PM
Awesome!
Registered on July 27, 2008, 143 Posts, 1483 Comments
Comment posted by Nate Chappell on February 22, 2009 at 2:55 PM
Great image Charlie, congrats. :toast:
Registered on February 1, 2006, 1158 Posts, 19528 Comments
Comment posted by Rob Graham on February 24, 2009 at 7:57 AM
beautiful bird, congrats on the well deserved EP!! :toast:
Registered on August 22, 2006, 842 Posts, 2824 Comments
Comment posted by Vincent Grafhorst on February 24, 2009 at 11:03 AM
Picture perfect Charlie! congrats :toast: :toast: :toast:
Registered on February 24, 2006, 504 Posts, 7203 Comments
Comment posted by Alan Bryant on February 24, 2009 at 11:15 AM
Congrats on your EP. for a sweet image :toast:
Registered on March 31, 2006, 473 Posts, 1081 Comments
Comment posted by David Sparks on February 24, 2009 at 12:13 PM
Wow! Beautiful shot. Congrats on the WP! :toast:
Registered on May 26, 2007, 290 Posts, 4270 Comments
Comment posted by May Haga on February 24, 2009 at 1:15 PM
I agree wholeheartedly that this should be the editor's pick for the week. Congratulations.
May
Registered on February 22, 2007, 714 Posts, 8470 Comments
Comment posted by Jim DeWitt on February 24, 2009 at 3:24 PM
A well-deserved EP, Charlie! Congratulations. :toast: :toast:
Registered on August 28, 2006, 1240 Posts, 8506 Comments
Comment posted by Kirk Greene on February 24, 2009 at 10:14 PM
The soft light works great for this portrait. Congrats on the EP! :toast:
Registered on May 12, 2004, 191 Posts, 1578 Comments
Comment posted by Doug Benner on February 26, 2009 at 2:00 PM
Wow - love everything about this. Congrats.
Registered on December 8, 2003, 482 Posts, 1868 Comments
Comment posted by Ed Dubois on February 26, 2009 at 9:55 PM
Super photo Charlie. You really deserve the EP for this one :toast: :toast:
Registered on February 22, 2005, 129 Posts, 4739 Comments
Comment posted by Dennis Plank on February 28, 2009 at 11:05 PM
Well deserved EP, Charlie. :toast: :toast:
Registered on January 28, 2008, 1767 Posts, 23192 Comments
Comment posted by Paul Breitkreuz on March 2, 2009 at 2:01 PM
:toast: A truly wonderful image, Charlie. Congratulations on the EP selection for this category also.
Looks like an American Kestrel, but with the blue back I'm not sure? :cool:
Registered on February 25, 2006, 525 Posts, 8448 Comments