American Kestrel in Flight

Gallery: AvianPosted January 15, 20049,670 views34 comments

I know this is a little early but I'm leaving early tomorrow morning for a nice long weekend of nothing but birds in Morro Bay. Should be fun! Here's one I got a couple weeks ago on a brisk morning. Back on Monday evening, hopefully with lots of new images!!

10D, 500mm f4 IS, ISO 400, 1/1000, f8, cropped about 30%

Comments

34 comments

Comment posted by Matt Hoberg on January 15, 2004 at 9:46 PM

Excellent! I see nothing to fault here. Definitely the best kestrel shot I've seen.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 133 Posts, 469 Comments

Comment posted by Ed Kaar on January 15, 2004 at 9:55 PM

Bob - This is so Sweet! Just Beautiful. Have a great trip.

ED

Registered on November 15, 2003, 15 Posts, 195 Comments

Comment posted by Chris Davidson on January 15, 2004 at 9:58 PM

Oh Man! YOUR NOT HUMAN! This is so far over the top!!!

Yes Bob, I do like this image!
Very,very much!

Registered on November 1, 2003, 38 Posts, 815 Comments

Comment posted by Robert Royse on January 15, 2004 at 10:18 PM

Just awesome!

Registered on November 1, 2003, 218 Posts, 2427 Comments

Comment posted by Bruce Sherman on January 15, 2004 at 10:31 PM

Bob,
I could not believe my eyes as this image opened. IMHO, this is not only your very best shot, but one of the top few images I have seen on NPN or that "other site". You made my day.

Registered on November 9, 2003, 165 Posts, 1116 Comments

Comment posted by Steve Heironymus on January 15, 2004 at 10:34 PM

Super job with a beautiful bird.<br>Congrats!

Registered on November 1, 2003, 36 Posts, 1110 Comments

Comment posted by George Forrest on January 15, 2004 at 10:58 PM

Hi Bob, I'm no longer surprised at what you can do with a camera, but I remain in awe. Have a great trip.
(This is an incredible image)

Registered on November 1, 2003, 26 Posts, 443 Comments

Comment posted by Brian E. Small on January 15, 2004 at 11:00 PM

Let me be the first to say it.................I hate you!! Have a great trip to Morro Bay my friend.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 147 Posts, 933 Comments

Comment posted by Michael Cameron on January 16, 2004 at 12:14 AM

The colors are wonderful. I can never get close enought to attempt a photo. . .

-Mike

Registered on November 20, 2003, 2 Posts, 10 Comments

Comment posted by Dusty Veideman on January 16, 2004 at 1:03 AM

This is just awesome of a beutiful bird. Impossible to get any better than this!
Dusty V

Registered on November 1, 2003, 295 Posts, 547 Comments

Comment posted by Trevor_Quested on January 16, 2004 at 1:04 AM

Cripes this is a bonza shot! This shot is like a painting. Fair dinkum Bob.

PS I don't want people to read too much into this but your kestrel is much prettier than ours.

Registered on November 16, 2003, 23 Posts, 76 Comments

Comment posted by Herman Blockx on January 16, 2004 at 3:11 AM

very fine shot! super!

Registered on November 1, 2003, 238 Posts, 760 Comments

Comment posted by Jim Zipp on January 16, 2004 at 7:24 AM

Awsome shot Bob!!!!!!

Registered on November 1, 2003, 86 Posts, 940 Comments

Comment posted by Gene Oleynik on January 16, 2004 at 8:57 AM

Absolutely fantastic flight shot of that Kestrel!

Registered on January 7, 2004, 14 Posts, 25 Comments

Comment posted by Skip Layman on January 16, 2004 at 9:21 AM

This deserves one of my "I hate you" comments. What a fantastic kestrel shot. What really makes this for me is the head position which really shows the lovely markings well.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 558 Posts, 1704 Comments

Comment posted by Randy Harrison on January 16, 2004 at 12:17 PM

Beutiful bird. I like the sky in this shot.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 468 Posts, 3099 Comments

Comment posted by Jonathan Walker on January 16, 2004 at 12:28 PM

Sweeeeet!

Registered on November 10, 2003, 21 Posts, 132 Comments

Comment posted by Garth McElroy on January 16, 2004 at 1:10 PM

You already know I hate you for this one!!

Registered on November 1, 2003, 248 Posts, 4406 Comments

Comment posted by Edwin Brosens on January 16, 2004 at 2:21 PM

Bob this is awesome LOL

Registered on November 1, 2003, 60 Posts, 593 Comments

Comment posted by Allan Boutwell on January 16, 2004 at 4:38 PM

Bob.....way to go!....nailed this one big time...I gotta get me a 500mm..looking forward to meeting you on a TPN shoot one of these days...Allan Boutwell

Registered on December 16, 2003, 11 Posts, 29 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Ditch on January 16, 2004 at 4:42 PM

I think you've got the hang of it. Not bad!

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

Comment posted by Wayne Ellis on January 16, 2004 at 6:27 PM

Lovely colour Bob

Registered on November 1, 2003, 13 Posts, 49 Comments

Comment posted by Vic Harris on January 16, 2004 at 7:54 PM

Registered on November 1, 2003, 295 Posts, 2830 Comments

Comment posted by Paul Fusco on January 16, 2004 at 10:17 PM

Bob -

As good as it gets!
Perfect lighting with great underside detail, and the BG is so sweet!

Big time congrats!

- Paul

Registered on November 17, 2003, 283 Posts, 1163 Comments

Comment posted by peter o neill on January 17, 2004 at 12:54 AM

Excellent work Bob

Registered on November 1, 2003, 9 Posts, 30 Comments

Comment posted by Juza on January 17, 2004 at 3:58 PM

Hi Bob,
this is one of your best shots!
The colors, the placement into the frame, the sharpness...all works perfectly

Registered on November 1, 2003, 374 Posts, 10466 Comments

Comment posted by Steve Parr on January 17, 2004 at 9:25 PM

Hi Bob:

All of the above. The colour, sharpness and angle are fantastic. Even the BG is shaped wonderfully!

Steve.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 0 Posts, 8 Comments

Comment posted by Wayne Nicholas on January 17, 2004 at 10:46 PM

Another "Bob Steele Classic" Kestrel. I can feel the hate.

Registered on November 11, 2003, 38 Posts, 155 Comments

Comment posted by Alexander Couter on January 18, 2004 at 2:01 AM

Bob,
They have already said it all before me. I am speechless. This is one @&$#ing beautiful shot!

Registered on November 1, 2003, 48 Posts, 163 Comments

Comment posted by Nicolas Brusselaer on January 26, 2004 at 7:02 PM

Registered on November 1, 2003, 23 Posts, 85 Comments

Comment posted by Peter Wallack on February 15, 2004 at 10:28 AM

Incredible- this is a wonderful flier with hunting behavior and all the qualities of a great portrait all in one.

Registered on February 14, 2004, 28 Posts, 249 Comments

Comment posted by Kenneth Kijewski on February 17, 2004 at 5:05 PM

Astonishing!

What a fabulous capture, Bob! These are difficult to capture, for me anyway, and I am totaly amazed with this image! Shots like this I want to achieve in the near furure...

Excellent work!

Registered on February 17, 2004, 166 Posts, 3390 Comments

Comment posted by Rick Cloran on April 10, 2004 at 3:38 PM

Bob, an absolutely killer capture. Everything is purfect and the wing position is icing on the cake. Do you use the 10D with CF 4 set on 1 or 3 for tracking moving subjects? (I'm assuming that you were on AF Servo.)

Thanks for sharing

Rick

Registered on April 6, 2004, 119 Posts, 1989 Comments

Comment posted by Bob Steele on April 14, 2004 at 8:35 AM

Hi Rick,

Sorry for the delay, I don't look over here in this gallery every day. As for your question, CF4-3. I assigned the servo AF to the AE button a long time ago on my EOS-3 and loved it. Same thing on the 10D.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 354 Posts, 13896 Comments