Gallery: AvianPosted February 27, 2011103 views6 comments
This was shot at Corkscrew Swamp in Florida. This hawk was very cooperative.
Canon 30D
Sigma 70-300
Aperture Priority
Shutter 1/1000
Aperture f8
ISO 800
300mm
65% of original
Comments
6 comments
Comment posted by Rob Drummond on February 27, 2011 at 5:12 AM
Really like the setting Richard and the way the oof foliage frames the bird. I'd be tempted to see if lightening the eye a little might reveal a bit of a catchlight???
Cheers
Rob
Registered on November 8, 2003, 617 Posts, 8267 Comments
Comment posted by dan elster on February 27, 2011 at 10:25 AM
Beautiful bird and love all the habitat surrounding the bird. The larger version seems a bit noisy.
Registered on September 23, 2005, 299 Posts, 2443 Comments
Comment posted by Jim DeWitt on February 27, 2011 at 11:25 AM
I'm pretty sure I've photographed this bird, too. But your shot is much better than mine. Nice work on the exposure of the bird against the strong sky. I agree with Dan that there seems to be a bit of noise in the larger image...
Registered on August 28, 2006, 1240 Posts, 8506 Comments
Comment posted by Richard Ditch on February 27, 2011 at 3:17 PM
Based on your comment in the general forum you are obviously looking for honest feedback.
Red-shouldered Hawk is a mega rarity in AZ so I don't get any opportunity to make photos of them now that I'm shooting digital, and the few shots I have of them from my film days in the East are all rather distant. So, this image is already better than any I have of this species.
The major issue for me on this is the light - especially the lack of it on the face and eye. Although it looks like you were shooting against strong light in the sky behind there's plenty of light falling on the breast so the problem is really one of the position of the hawk's head. I don't know if the bird was tolerant of your presence but if so it would have been advantageous to wait and watch and get more frames when the head is turned a little and picks up the light. One of the biggest advantages that digital has given us is the freedom to take lots of shots without the $.50 or more associated with each click of the shutter.
The second issue is the amount of noise showing in the face in the larger version. Noise comes primarily from four sources: high ISO, excessive cropping, added exposure in raw conversion and post processing, and vigorous sharpening to overcome softness in the image. I can't say what combination of these is happening in this case.
Registered on November 1, 2003, 1031 Posts, 12705 Comments
Comment posted by Michael Lotito on February 27, 2011 at 7:54 PM
i like the way the birds surroundings frame the hawk nicely. The exposure appears excellent as well.
Registered on June 26, 2009, 181 Posts, 1558 Comments
Comment posted by keith mitchell on March 1, 2011 at 4:13 PM
I think the little nits have been covered i like the bird and it's habitat.
I visited Corkscrew a few years ago must get back.
Keith.
Registered on July 12, 2008, 127 Posts, 1735 Comments
Comments
6 commentsCheers
Rob
Red-shouldered Hawk is a mega rarity in AZ so I don't get any opportunity to make photos of them now that I'm shooting digital, and the few shots I have of them from my film days in the East are all rather distant. So, this image is already better than any I have of this species.
The major issue for me on this is the light - especially the lack of it on the face and eye. Although it looks like you were shooting against strong light in the sky behind there's plenty of light falling on the breast so the problem is really one of the position of the hawk's head. I don't know if the bird was tolerant of your presence but if so it would have been advantageous to wait and watch and get more frames when the head is turned a little and picks up the light. One of the biggest advantages that digital has given us is the freedom to take lots of shots without the $.50 or more associated with each click of the shutter.
The second issue is the amount of noise showing in the face in the larger version. Noise comes primarily from four sources: high ISO, excessive cropping, added exposure in raw conversion and post processing, and vigorous sharpening to overcome softness in the image. I can't say what combination of these is happening in this case.
I visited Corkscrew a few years ago must get back.
Keith.