Common Raven

Gallery: AvianPosted December 4, 2011653 views11 comments

I'd be embarrassed to admit how much time and effort I've expended over the years trying to get decent flight shots of this species with almost nothing to show for it. For me they've been a very difficult subject.

Lower background is the Great Salt Lake with far off OOF desert mountains in warm light above that.

7D, 1/1600, f/6.3, ISO 400, 500 f/4, 1.4 tc, shot from pickup window on 7/2/10, cropped to 51% of original image then added a strip of canvas up top for composition, sharpened bird, no additional processing or adjustments, natural early morning light, not baited, set up or called in

Larger version provided

Comments/critique appreciated

Comments

11 comments

Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on December 4, 2011 at 5:31 PM

Perseverance pays off! Perfect exposure, great pose, excellent BG!
Just as with my starling image, even a common species can make a great image with good techs and nice BG.

Sandy

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

Comment posted by Scott Frye on December 4, 2011 at 5:37 PM

wow -- great detail in the blacks -- shooting a black bird against a bright sky and maintain the detail in the blacks -- good job

Registered on February 3, 2007, 387 Posts, 1136 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Ditch on December 4, 2011 at 7:06 PM

Impressive. Difficult. Nice detail and exposure.

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

Comment posted by Cheryl Molennor on December 4, 2011 at 7:17 PM

I think it's awesome and the light and detail underwing area is great. No wonder a hard shot to get since they are so dark.

Registered on June 30, 2009, 300 Posts, 5051 Comments

Comment posted by Brian Gatlin on December 4, 2011 at 10:04 PM

Ron, I've spent a lot of shutter clicks on ravens in flight and still have nothing to show. The dark plumage makes these an especially tough subject, particularly in flight. I'd be very happy with this. I really like the glossy plumage, the light in the eye, the perfect exposure, and the wonderful bg. the interesting molt in the primaries and the central tail feathers is a plus too--is this a recent shot (if so, especially interesting to see them molting this late in the season)?

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

Comment posted by Ron Dudley on December 4, 2011 at 10:37 PM

is this a recent shot

Thanks Brian. No, this was taken on 7/2/10.

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

Comment posted by Jim Hackley on December 5, 2011 at 11:47 AM

Nice job getting this difficult shot, I like the iridescent shine in the larger image, always tricky to get good feather detail on these black colored birds, way to go.

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

Comment posted by Ron Bielefeld on December 5, 2011 at 4:07 PM

I understand completely what you have gone through to get good images of ravens. I have been trying to get a good shot of a fish crow for the last 3 years and I still do not have one. They are so difficult to expose well and get with a good BG. Love this shot Ron. Great exposure, detial, position, and BG. Well done.

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

Comment posted by Nick Bristol on December 5, 2011 at 4:08 PM

Very nice, Ron. Looks like all your efforts finally paid off!

Nick Bristol
Lone Rock, WI

Registered on February 1, 2004, 752 Posts, 14140 Comments

Comment posted by Jude Haase on December 5, 2011 at 8:22 PM

Very nice capture Ron!!

Registered on April 3, 2006, 236 Posts, 1657 Comments

Comment posted by Doug Backlund on December 5, 2011 at 9:42 PM

Black birds of all kinds give me problems, getting them in the right light is the only way to do it, without using flash. I really like seeing the tucked up feet.

Registered on September 29, 2005, 252 Posts, 3380 Comments