Northern Harrier

Gallery: AvianPosted July 14, 2013125 views6 comments

I would like input on presenting this type of photo. I've started with a portrait shot and also included the full view, with some of the branches removed. I tried to sharpen it, but even a little bit produced a halo.

Taken in the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area. The Harrier was resting on the tree and let me slowly walk up to it, getting about 25-30 feet away. It finally flew off to get breakfast.

Canon 7D
100-400 mm lens at 350 mm
f5.6
-.7EV
1/640

Thanks for your comments and critiques.

Comments

6 comments

Comment posted by Allen Brooks on July 14, 2013 at 11:10 PM

Here's the full view.

Registered on July 27, 2011, 262 Posts, 2597 Comments

Comment posted by Dennis Plank on July 15, 2013 at 12:03 AM

This looks sharp enough to me not to need more, Allen. A dark image against a blue sky seems to want to produce halos at the least provocation. Sometimes you can remove,it, but you'd lose too much lovely detail here in trying. If you really wanted to sharpen the shoulder, you could select it and sharpen just that area. I'll usually create another layer and then I can change the opacity to blend it the way I like it after sharpening. As long as you don't include those boundaries between the blue and the dark plumage, you won't have issues with halos.

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

Comment posted by Greg AshworthFanch on July 15, 2013 at 12:12 PM

I think it is a great post; I like the portrait presentation. This portrait has more interest and drama to me than the image that includes the branches.

Registered on December 14, 2012, 55 Posts, 67 Comments

Comment posted by S Govindarajan on July 15, 2013 at 9:44 PM

A fine portrait, Allen. Your comp is a very creative solution to the busy original image. Sharpening an image is an art by itself - there is no one method that seems to work for all images. I really like the light on the harrier and the details you have managed in the darker areas.

Registered on April 19, 2008, 115 Posts, 1921 Comments

Comment posted by Claude Dagenais on July 17, 2013 at 7:23 AM

Very nice portrait Allen and a good job of approaching this raptor. It didn't need much sharpening anyway.

Registered on April 10, 2013, 56 Posts, 571 Comments

Comment posted by Sharon Hallowell on July 20, 2013 at 9:38 AM

Good detail despite the huge crop. I like the warm light. Sharon

Registered on November 1, 2003, 392 Posts, 4810 Comments