Harrier w/nesting grass

Gallery: AvianPosted August 4, 2010709 views29 comments

Mark III, 600MM, ISO 500, 1/1000th, f/9, Wimberly, Natural light

Busy at work (a good thing) and the summer doldrums have made for slow photography.

This is a rework of a past image. I probably posted the first version on NPN but the two are really not comparable. I actually have learned some processing skills.

I always liked the mood of this, and the in-flight pose plus the behavior of her bringing in nesting materials. This version does a much better job of handling the sidelighting from the setting sun.

Please take a moment to look at the large version.

Comments and suggestions are always welcome.

Peter

Comments

29 comments

Comment posted by Dennis Plank on August 4, 2010 at 9:50 AM

I think I remember the first version, Peter. It was good, but this is superb. I really like the quality of the light and the composition. Excellent.

Registered on January 28, 2008, 1767 Posts, 23192 Comments

Comment posted by Balan Vinod on August 4, 2010 at 10:55 AM

Amazing light and well handled ....the detail and comp is outstanding...

Well Done

Balan Vinod

Registered on March 20, 2006, 889 Posts, 2312 Comments

Comment posted by Graham Brown on August 4, 2010 at 11:08 AM

That's a beauty Peter. The larger version really shows how detailed and sharp the bird is. The sidelighting highlights the bird well and the relatively low perspective has given a view of the underwing structure. The background really looks like it's typical habitat. Nicely captured and processed I can't fault it. Graham

Registered on November 20, 2007, 275 Posts, 1365 Comments

Comment posted by Joel DeYoung on August 4, 2010 at 11:25 AM

I don't believe I saw the first version, but I really like this one.

Nice job with keeping the face in focus. I like how you placed the bird is just over the grass while showing the darker background. Makes the bird pop in the frame. The side light makes this sing. Nicely done.

Registered on July 12, 2009, 92 Posts, 1074 Comments

Comment posted by Matt Taylor on August 4, 2010 at 11:55 AM

Very nice in flight shot. I like the sidelighting
Matt

Registered on July 31, 2010, 5 Posts, 91 Comments

Comment posted by Luke Ormand on August 4, 2010 at 12:14 PM

A gorgeous image of this hard to photograph species... the key elements to me are the eyes, the rim lighting and the grasses in the lower 1/3 of the image. It's often times hrad to get a compelling photo of a bird with a long wingspan like this because it just lends itself to a boring pano - but with the grasses along the bottom it makes for an enticing scene.

- Luke

Registered on February 4, 2009, 1093 Posts, 7035 Comments

Comment posted by Mia McPherson on August 4, 2010 at 2:24 PM

I do remember this image Peter and I liked it quite a lot before, but this image does seem to be even better. Love the dark background, the light and how the grasses anchor and give a sense of place to this photo. I especially love the grasses in the bill.

Registered on June 25, 2007, 491 Posts, 12566 Comments

Comment posted by Keith A Anderson on August 4, 2010 at 2:50 PM

Great image, Peter. The pose and carried grass make for a very interesting image and the dark bg and the way the foreground grasses complement the birds hightlights is super.

Registered on February 13, 2006, 166 Posts, 1818 Comments

Comment posted by Ron Bielefeld on August 4, 2010 at 3:38 PM

I don't recall the first version, but I love the BG in this one a lot. Just great shadow and light play going on in this image. Very cool.

Registered on December 6, 2008, 360 Posts, 7132 Comments

Comment posted by Darren Colello on August 4, 2010 at 4:12 PM

This is stellar Peter!! Feels as though I'm there and I certainly wish I were.

Great job.

Registered on July 27, 2009, 175 Posts, 1100 Comments

Comment posted by Peter Conway on August 4, 2010 at 4:17 PM

Thanks for all the positive comments. I always liked the mood created by the BG and the grasses. The changes in processing are pretty much confined to the Harrier. I should have thought to post the original for comparison purposes. You can see that I just didn't have the detail in it.

My processing skills are still fairly rudimentary but improving thanks to NPN. I learn so much from reading comments not only on my photos but on other people's too. I really like it when I hear specific suggestions on how to improve an image.

Registered on June 25, 2007, 347 Posts, 3913 Comments

Comment posted by Ron Dudley on August 4, 2010 at 5:20 PM

Really neat Peter and your improved processing skills have made quite the difference. The lighting is very dramatic. One of the things that really strikes me here is the greenery in the background. I don't think I have any green (except for the head of a dead Mallard) in any of my harrier shots since we get them mostly during winter.

Registered on March 30, 2007, 437 Posts, 10915 Comments

Comment posted by Nate Chappell on August 4, 2010 at 5:49 PM

Terrific behavioral shot Peter! This is something I've never observed and your capture is excellent. The colors and detail in your rework are much improved. Thanks for posting it again.

Registered on February 1, 2006, 1158 Posts, 19528 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Ditch on August 4, 2010 at 7:22 PM

A good catch and a nice rework.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 1031 Posts, 12705 Comments

Comment posted by David Hemmings on August 4, 2010 at 8:58 PM

Awesome image

Registered on May 26, 2006, 178 Posts, 1680 Comments

Comment posted by Howard Cheek on August 4, 2010 at 10:02 PM

Outstanding image Peter, everything has been said already..
Very nice!

Registered on July 24, 2008, 1201 Posts, 10758 Comments

Comment posted by Ken Archer on August 5, 2010 at 1:43 AM

Simply Awesome

Excellent work Peter!

Ken Archer

Registered on October 28, 2004, 222 Posts, 6683 Comments

Comment posted by Jagdeep Rajput on August 5, 2010 at 8:06 AM

A stunning frame !
Great light, back-drop n lighting here.
Jagdeep Rajput

Registered on April 29, 2008, 686 Posts, 2857 Comments

Comment posted by Rob Drummond on August 5, 2010 at 8:26 AM

Great shot Peter - love the lighting and setting

cheers
Rob

Registered on November 8, 2003, 617 Posts, 8267 Comments

Comment posted by May Haga on August 5, 2010 at 7:25 PM

Stunning capture Peter. Love the lighting.
May

Registered on February 22, 2007, 714 Posts, 8470 Comments

Comment posted by Charles Gangas on August 5, 2010 at 7:41 PM

I like this Peter. Great intensity in the eyes- nice BG.

Registered on August 12, 2009, 544 Posts, 2414 Comments

Comment posted by Jim Hackley on August 6, 2010 at 3:36 PM

Wonderful image (I never saw the first one) with the layered background. The larger image show good detail where it counts and the wing span parallel to the grass is a real bonus, well done.

Registered on September 17, 2009, 302 Posts, 5535 Comments

Comment posted by Ron Dudley on August 10, 2010 at 6:00 PM

Big congrats on this well deserved WP Peter. Waytago!

Registered on March 30, 2007, 437 Posts, 10915 Comments

Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on August 10, 2010 at 11:37 PM

Peter, beautiful light, pose, and environment here!
Congrats on a fine EP!
Sandy r

Registered on November 24, 2003, 3937 Posts, 12909 Comments

Comment posted by Simon Bennett on August 10, 2010 at 11:51 PM

Super image.

Registered on February 4, 2007, 350 Posts, 4614 Comments

Comment posted by Kirk Greene on August 11, 2010 at 8:40 AM

This is wonderful. I prefer front lighting for flight images but this is a great example of why I need to open my mind to the possibilities that exist with side & back light. The larger version gives a real appreciation for the details, especially the eyes. Congrats on the weekly pic & thanks for going back to reprocess this image!

Registered on May 12, 2004, 191 Posts, 1578 Comments

Comment posted by Peter Conway on August 11, 2010 at 8:50 AM

Thanks everyone, I greatly appreciate it.

Peter

Registered on June 25, 2007, 347 Posts, 3913 Comments

Comment posted by Nate Chappell on August 13, 2010 at 7:44 PM

Congrats Peter

Registered on February 1, 2006, 1158 Posts, 19528 Comments

Comment posted by Pat Sampson on August 24, 2010 at 9:05 PM

Hey Peter,

I'm sorry to say I missed this. Superb... Congratulations on the pick but mostly on the image.

Pat

Registered on May 19, 2007, 953 Posts, 15989 Comments