Northern Harrier +repost

Gallery: AvianPosted October 7, 2010616 views26 comments

Circus cyaneus

As cooler weather has finally started to occur in Utah we are seeing more harriers than we did during the summer. I'm excited about the upcoming opportinties we have with this species in the winter.

This image was taken last January in northern Utah. The lower part of the background is the snow-covered oof Wasatch Moutnains and the upper part is oof clouds. The breeze was blowing just right to slow the harriers down as they went past the pickup. After this photo was created Ron D and I both had to take off our TC's because the harriers were flying in too close.

D200, lens resting on window, I think, I may have handheld this. F6.3, 1/1000, ISO 320, 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light, not baited. 84% of original frame. Larger version posted. You can see a slight reddish tinge on the harriers belly from its last meal.

As always, I sincerely appreciate your comments & critiques. Thanks for looking.

Comments

26 comments

Comment posted by Luke Ormand on October 7, 2010 at 12:28 PM

Pleasing color pallete and perfect exposure. This crop doesn't work for me, however. I personally would go for more of a pano with room added room on the bottom.

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

Comment posted by Mia McPherson on October 7, 2010 at 12:31 PM

Thanks for the comment Luke, unfortunately the only additional room I have is at the top and right of the frame.

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

Comment posted by Ian Mason on October 7, 2010 at 1:09 PM

It's another beauty Mia. Lovely colours and the clouds are a bonus. I agree it could maybe be a bit higher in the frame.

Registered on December 14, 2005, 399 Posts, 2305 Comments

Comment posted by Ron Bielefeld on October 7, 2010 at 1:20 PM

Mia, really nice exposure and detail. The bird is angling up and the top wing is up, so the comp works fine for me. There is plenty of room at the bottom IMO. If anything I might take a bit off the top and right to even it up a bit and make the bird larger in the frame. At 84% of FF you have the pixels to work with IMO. Well done.

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

Comment posted by KC Choo on October 7, 2010 at 1:36 PM

Always great (and rare, for me anyway) to get a male NOHA! I do agree with the others about a pano crop. Ron's suggestion would be my preference.

Registered on November 15, 2004, 519 Posts, 8278 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Ditch on October 7, 2010 at 1:43 PM

Nice bird and nice flight shot. I too would trim some from the top.

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

Comment posted by Dennis Plank on October 7, 2010 at 1:43 PM

Nice flight shot, Mia. I like the light and the bg. I actually like the crop as the clouds and mountains on the left kind of close in around the Harrier and it's flying into the open.

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

Comment posted by Monica Siri on October 7, 2010 at 3:20 PM

Mia,
very nice flight shot. I really like the wings position and the colors. I also like the comp you chosen but I agree with Ron's suggestion for an image even stronger.

Registered on September 20, 2009, 132 Posts, 3764 Comments

Comment posted by mark cillo on October 7, 2010 at 4:50 PM

This is a really beautiful image! The pose, detail and light are excellent. I might be tempted to try and create some more canvas on the bottom.

Registered on July 27, 2008, 143 Posts, 1483 Comments

Comment posted by Ronnie Gaubert on October 7, 2010 at 5:56 PM

Hi Mia,
Excellent details and good even lighting. In my opinion the bird does not have to be higher in the frame. You just need to recrop with a little less sky above the bird.

Ronnie

Registered on November 1, 2003, 810 Posts, 3495 Comments

Comment posted by Mia McPherson on October 7, 2010 at 7:28 PM

Thanks for the comments thus far on this photo. I have been tied up with work until now. I am reposting an image with some cropped off of the top. I haven't had time to redo it using Ron B's suggestion.

Again, thanks for your helpful suggestions

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

Comment posted by Ronnie Gaubert on October 7, 2010 at 7:33 PM

Much better comp. Looks more balanced.
Ronnie

Registered on November 1, 2003, 810 Posts, 3495 Comments

Comment posted by Ken Archer on October 7, 2010 at 8:33 PM

Sweet flight shot Mia!!! I like the second version.

Ken Archer

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

Comment posted by Simon Bennett on October 7, 2010 at 9:41 PM

Good view of a striking bird. Nice background tones too.

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

Comment posted by Rohn B. McKee on October 7, 2010 at 9:43 PM

Wonderful Photo Mia
Excellent techs, great exposure

Registered on November 18, 2008, 109 Posts, 415 Comments

Comment posted by Giorgio Gregori on October 8, 2010 at 1:00 PM

Beautiful . I really like the oblique position of the bird, with underwing perfectly visible. I also like composition, particularly the first, where the subject occupies the V formed by clouds and snow.
Giorgio

Registered on November 16, 2007, 87 Posts, 793 Comments

Comment posted by May Haga on October 8, 2010 at 3:38 PM

Great image Mia. I do like the second post better.
May

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

Comment posted by Nate Chappell on October 8, 2010 at 11:45 PM

The repost is sweet Mia, I really like the clouds in the shot too!

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

Comment posted by Rob Drummond on October 9, 2010 at 6:02 AM

What a striking bird Mia - great angle, detail and light. I like the cropped version.

cheers
Rob

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

Comment posted by Charles Gangas on October 9, 2010 at 9:38 AM

Excellent flight shot Mia. I like the intensity of the Harrier's stare and the position of the wings. The cloud and mountain blurs in the BG work well with the bird's natural colors. I think the repost comp is a tad more balanced and is my preference.

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

Comment posted by Muhammad Zaid Wani on October 9, 2010 at 9:45 AM

Excellent flight shot!! The repost is better.

Registered on August 18, 2005, 23 Posts, 1406 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Ditch on October 9, 2010 at 1:38 PM

The composition of the repost has better balance - nicely done.

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

Comment posted by Ron Dudley on October 10, 2010 at 7:15 PM

Mia, I so remember this bird and exactly where we were! I love the colors in the background and the way the blues surround the harrier. I like the eye contact and the good look at the details of the underside. I do prefer the composition in your repost. Nicely done.

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

Comment posted by Steve Balke on October 11, 2010 at 7:57 PM

Beautiful capture, Mia. Actually I'm fine with both posts. I think I even prefer the first one. I like to see more blue sky around the bird. It looks more natural to me.

Registered on June 18, 2009, 229 Posts, 2915 Comments

Comment posted by Angela McCain on October 31, 2010 at 11:01 PM

I must have missed this post earlier. Great image. I like that little pop of yellow in the feet. Brings out the yellow in the eye. I see what you mean about January in Utah.

Registered on April 19, 2009, 367 Posts, 3589 Comments

Comment posted by Howard Cheek on November 9, 2010 at 8:26 AM

Very nice all the way around Mia.
In a perfect world, I would like to see the bird higher in the frame.
This works well too, beautiful image as posted

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