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Kestrel w/prey
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Kestrel w/prey

by John Blumenkamp

Gallery: AvianPosted January 12, 2012447 views21 comments
This is one from late last month out at Farmington Bay WMA, Utah.

Canon 1DIV @ 700mm
1/800 f/8 iso400

Thanks for your comments & suggestions.

John

Comments

21 comments
Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on January 12, 2012 at 10:38 AM
Beautiful light and soft colours on this lady. Nice pose, excellent prey with some detail and definition rather than just a bloody lump, great BG.
Don't know if you have the room on the bottom, but you might try an alternate vertical comp too.
:toast:
Sandy
Registered on November 24, 2003, 3937 Posts, 12909 Comments
Comment posted by Hans Overduin on January 12, 2012 at 10:40 AM
Great shot, nice bird with catch, wonderful setting with the frosty snow against the pole! To me it seems slightly over saturated, but maybe our Kestrels are simply duller - anybody knows ? Anyway, wonderful shot! Cheers, Hans
Registered on August 31, 2011, 491 Posts, 3807 Comments
Comment posted by Luke Ormand on January 12, 2012 at 11:10 AM
Wonderful imgae - the hoary frost is a bonus
Registered on February 4, 2009, 1093 Posts, 7035 Comments
Comment posted by Keith Bauer on January 12, 2012 at 11:53 AM
I think this looks fantastic. Great light on the front of the Kestral. The background is really nice. Those pastel colors rally work. Love the frost on the post. Maybe working to bring out just a touch more detail in the shadowed side? Not a big deal. Very nice image.
Registered on November 20, 2003, 458 Posts, 4836 Comments
Comment posted by Alan Murphy on January 12, 2012 at 2:58 PM
Awesome catch for both of you.
Registered on December 3, 2003, 192 Posts, 739 Comments
Comment posted by Jim Hackley on January 12, 2012 at 3:18 PM
That soft light really adds to the image, I like the head turn, feather in mouth, prey and that layered background, way to go.
Registered on September 17, 2009, 302 Posts, 5535 Comments
Comment posted by Barbara Graham on January 12, 2012 at 4:58 PM
Beautiful light, color, details, and beautiful sky background.
Registered on July 27, 2010, 1310 Posts, 5035 Comments
Comment posted by Ron Bielefeld on January 12, 2012 at 5:34 PM
The soft directional lighting makes this image for me John. Great head turn, catchlight, and BG. Prey is a plus. Very nice.
Registered on December 6, 2008, 360 Posts, 7132 Comments
Comment posted by Richard Ditch on January 12, 2012 at 6:59 PM
Very nice as posted. Good light; nice soft colors; good detail.
Registered on November 1, 2003, 1031 Posts, 12705 Comments
Comment posted by Doug Backlund on January 12, 2012 at 7:32 PM
A really nice kestrel image, I like the prey feather in the kestrel bill, colors and light are great. I think a vertical crop might work well here too.
Registered on September 29, 2005, 252 Posts, 3380 Comments
Comment posted by Ray Whitt on January 12, 2012 at 8:49 PM
Excellent catch, love the light and detail and thats a great frosty perch.

Ray
Registered on May 27, 2011, 92 Posts, 2619 Comments
Comment posted by Jenaya Launstein on January 12, 2012 at 9:00 PM
Wow, it looks like you had some great light! Really nice pose from the Kesrel, and also a nice catchlight in the eye. Great detail in the image, and I really like the colours.
Registered on February 8, 2011, 254 Posts, 1302 Comments
Comment posted by Dennis Plank on January 12, 2012 at 11:08 PM
Gorgeous light and detail, John. I love the frost on the post.
:toast:
Registered on January 28, 2008, 1767 Posts, 23192 Comments
Comment posted by Angela McCain on January 12, 2012 at 11:58 PM
Great image. Light reveals the rich coloration of this elusive bird. Frost of the post is a finished touch.
Registered on April 19, 2009, 367 Posts, 3589 Comments
Comment posted by Cheryl Molennor on January 13, 2012 at 10:03 AM
I am jealous of this one as i can't ever get close enough. great head angle and I like the remnants of prey in the mouth.
Registered on June 30, 2009, 300 Posts, 5051 Comments
Comment posted by Matt Shellenberg on January 13, 2012 at 2:38 PM
Awesome catch, John. Great light, and beautiful background.
Registered on February 6, 2008, 168 Posts, 3118 Comments
Comment posted by Terry Sohl on January 13, 2012 at 5:07 PM
Yummy! Beautiful capture. Beyond the Kestrel and the prey, it's also such a beautiful frosty perch and setting. With the frost melting off the side facing the sun, I can almost picture myself there on this morning.
Registered on November 1, 2003, 513 Posts, 6889 Comments
Comment posted by May Haga on January 15, 2012 at 10:38 AM
Wow, very good John. Nice to catch the kestrel with prey.
May
Registered on February 22, 2007, 714 Posts, 8470 Comments
Comment posted by Charlie VanTassel on January 18, 2012 at 12:55 PM
Congrats on the WP, John. A beauty of a shot. Well done! :toast:
Registered on October 18, 2006, 644 Posts, 4801 Comments
Comment posted by Jim Hackley on January 19, 2012 at 1:25 PM
Congratulations on the WP, well done. :toast:
Registered on September 17, 2009, 302 Posts, 5535 Comments
Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on January 19, 2012 at 1:32 PM
Everything comes together perfectly here - nice pose, great prey, beautiful light, the frosty perch and BG - well done!
Congrats on the WP!
Sandy
Registered on November 24, 2003, 3937 Posts, 12909 Comments