Juvie Red-tailed Hawk

[Diane_Miller]

What technical feedback would you like if any?

What artistic feedback would you like if any?

All comments welcome.

Pertinent technical details or techniques:

(If backgrounds have been removed, etc. please be honest with your techniques to help others learn)

Taken last April. I had been seeing this hawk on our property fairly regularly every day and had the 600 + 2X on the big tripod with the Wimberley head, hoping. One afternoon late I looked out the kitchen window and saw him in this tree. I was able to get the rig out the door and managed to focus on him and get a good shot – except for the OOF branches in front of him. He was quite far away (about 200 ft) with the branches fairly close to him. I would have needed a drone to even try to get a better view. And of course he didn’t stay long. Canon 1DX2, f/8 (wide open), ISO 800, 1/160 sec, cropped to 30% of the full frame. Only PS work was some denoise and removing the tip of a branch coming in from the LL and a bit of dodging and burning with masked Curves. He looked a bit irritated so I decided to have some fun. This version is named, “Yo!! BRO!!!”

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[Richard_Sandor]

Diane: I really like how the hawk is framed by the branches. In the ideal situation there wouldn’t have been oof branches in front of the hawk, but Nature isn’t always tidy. Given that the bird is so prominent against the oof background, the oof branches in front of the bird almost disappear. Nicely done. Richard

[peter (Peter J. Morrissey)]

Hi Diane
Richard is correct about nature. It give the shot you have not the one you want. You did a good job with what nature proved you. The turned head an eye contact makes the photo work. Nice work.
Peter