American Kestrel

Feeling left out of the current bird bonanza, I went back and played with an old photo I digiscoped at Ridgefield back in 2003. I have several bird photos I've really been needing to revisit and post on my website, and this is one of those. This was with a 3mp Coolpix 880 (my first digital camera), attached to a Nikon Fieldscope 60mm.

Wow. What a shot. The pose and over-the-shoulder head turn really creates a nice, almost intimate connection between the bird and viewer that I like a lot. Most avian photos I see are enjoyable for me, but more because of the technicals involved rather than due to an emotional connection created within the photo. So, very well done in that respect.

After putting on my super nerdy photo-geek hat, I do see some chromatic aberrations around the thistles and possibly along the top of the head that could be cleaned up. OK. Geek hat is off. I'll just sit back and enjoy this one for a while.

that is beautiful!

That's pretty amazing quality, considering it was taken with a fieldscope and I like the perch too. Kestrels can be so frustrating to photograph. If I had to nitpick, it's a little tight.

That is an amazing image. I hope to see more of these you have taken way back when...

Sensational. Excellent positioning, pose, and stunning quality--sharpness. Those Kestrels are not easy to photograph, particularly this close. Nicely done, John. Looking forward to seeing more of your avian images.

You must have had your comouflage clothing and face paint on to get this beautiful shot John. I find these beauties to be very skittish and difficult to get close to, but you managed and it is excellent. I like the composition and the head turn. It gives the viewer a feeling of being there with a relaxed bird. The only tiny nit that distracts my eye is the darker BG at the bottom, possibly from some OOF thistles.
Really nice, how about digging out some more of those "oldies but goodies" from your archives?

Stunning John! Wait a minute, you did this without an $8,000 600mm lens, and it was on a THREE MP sensor? Once again, it's not the gear but the artist. Well done.

JOhn,

This is THE best Kestral image I've ever seen!
WOW!
JG

John this is an awesome and inspirig image. It is a good reminder to those of us to shoot what you have and make the best of it.

I don't even like bird photos, John, but this one is NICE!

This is incredible John! From the birds pose to the crop ,everything seems perfect to me except for the chromatic aberration in the Thistle. Overall, I would have to agree that this is the best Kestrel photo I have ever seen also.

Just a great Kestrel pose John, nice comp and color too. Yes, you really need to rework those old images if this is the kind of thing you're keeping in the vaults.

David M. Cobb

Beautiful image John. Love the colors.

NICE - How'd you get him to pose for you?