Juv. Cooper's Hawk

Gallery: AvianPosted November 13, 2010156 views9 comments

This morning I got up at 5:20 to make it to Montauk in time for sunrise... no real plan for what I"d see but was hoping for seals (a few out in the ocean, nothing in close). As I was walking down the path to get to where the seals hang I stopped to read a sign about hunting. When I looked up this Cooper's Hawk was just a few yards from me... it seemed as shocked as I did and held it's position for a little while I snapped away. The sun had just risen and wasn't really over the cliffs yet but that helped with the pink BG which is OOF grasses/dunes.

Nikon D300s 300 f4 + 1.7X TC HH
f/6.7
1/400s
ISO 1000

Cropped a small bit from the left side for composition, sharpened subject, cloned one OOF rogue stick from right side.

EDIT: After seeing the first comment, the perch is a sign post with the grey being the back side of the sign... I certainly could clone that out and just leave the wood perch if some thing that may be a better presentation.

Comments

9 comments

Comment posted by Steve Balke on November 13, 2010 at 5:27 PM

Sharp, very well defined shot of this Cooper's, Luke. I find that the upper body part of the bird is the real strength of this image. We don't see the tail and much of the feet. Also, the perch seems a bit strange (I guess it's a grey rock located behind a post) and so is a small distraction. I think if you cropped so as to include only the upper body you would have a much stronger image.

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

Comment posted by Ron Bielefeld on November 13, 2010 at 6:12 PM

The larger version shows really nice detail. The sign perch is not the best, but you take what you can get. I might try a vertical comp, thus eliminating most of the left part of the sign. There is a bit of a halo around the bird but not bad.

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

Comment posted by Michael Lotito on November 13, 2010 at 7:46 PM

Super Coppers Hawk! Very nice indeed. The sky is very interesting in color!

Registered on June 26, 2009, 181 Posts, 1558 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Ditch on November 13, 2010 at 8:17 PM

Very nice image quality for ISO 1000. A nice reward fro getting out early.

I'd go for more of a vertical as well, or even square with more of the left side deleted.

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

Comment posted by Brian Gatlin on November 13, 2010 at 8:50 PM

nice looking coop, Luke, and the bg is great. the bird seems a little on the cool side (which is perhaps just an accurate reflection of the pre-sunrise light).

Registered on March 21, 2009, 202 Posts, 4187 Comments

Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on November 13, 2010 at 10:48 PM

Luke, great catch!
Fine detail, sharp eye, and not a bad perch

- we take what we are given!
Nice BG too -
Sandy

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

Comment posted by Angela McCain on November 14, 2010 at 8:15 AM

Good looking bird. Lots of sharp detail in the chest and I like the bright yellow legs. Comments noted. Additionally I think there is just a slight green cast. Above and behind the eye it is apparent. I would bring that down a bit.

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

Comment posted by Mia McPherson on November 14, 2010 at 10:58 AM

Luke,

I find he color of the background very appealing in this image especially knowing that the color is natural. You did very well at ISO 1000, the quality of the image is very nice. The back of the sign doesn't bother me, I actually like how I can see some of the paint peeling. I might consider more of a vertical crop, but that is just my own tastes. What draws me into the image is the light in the bird's eye and the sharp view of the bill.

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

Comment posted by Jeff Loomis on November 15, 2010 at 11:06 AM

Hey Luke, I like this a lot. I read all the comments first and then opened the larger image. Wow, great detail especially given the low light and high ISO. The sign doesn't bother me, but the crop suggestions might be worth pursuing. That's just squeezing the best out of an already great image.

Registered on January 26, 2010, 68 Posts, 719 Comments