I was so excited to get onto the cliff while this Turkey Vulture was riding on a lower thermal! Being able to get some photos looking down on the beautiful feathers was something I had no idea I would be able to do!
Anything, please!
Is this a composite: No
Nikon D3400
ISO 400
300mm
f/6.4
1/1000
I just converted and sized down.
Nice getting a look from the topside. The background also helped with a nice look at the vulture.
Exposure looks pretty good. Details are OK, but not quite what I’d hope for.
My suggestion is shown below. I’d crop so the vulture is not so centered, giving it a bit of room to fly into the frame.
I also selected the vulture, gave it a small amount of contrast using a curves adjustment layer, and toned the background down just a touch. Those were pretty minor adjustments. I also applied a touch of sharpening to the bird.
Thanks! I’m not so good with the post processing part of things and I didn’t do anything with it. I know I still have a long way to go but do you think if I had a faster shutter speed and higher iso it would have turned out better?
No, 1/1000 is more than fast enough for this kind of subject. I’m guessing it was probably soaring, not even flapping its’ wings. ISO 400 provided enough ISO to achieve the shutter speed needed. Focus is critical for birds in flight. This one is pretty good, just not quite there.
Post processing. I’ve read that you don’t care for it, or have all the computing power to do it all. That’s fine, but in the end, post processing is not optional, it is a required part of the digital photography world.
Maybe when I get a real computer I can get into the post process part of things, but not before I get a ‘real’ camera! 
Well done Vanessa to get above the bird. We don’t often get that view. Keith did a nice job on reprocessing and had some very good suggestions.
Shooting down on birds is quite an experience, indeed. I don’t know where you live, but you’d probably have opportunities at other birds up there also. My feedback would largely mirror Keith’s. The image quality issue is likely from not being close enough to the bird or perhaps missing focus. I also agree that moving the bird off center would improve it. Last, I wonder whether you have any frames where the bird’s beak/head isn’t intersectingt those tree limbs? A fully uniform green background would set the bird off from the background even more.
I probably do, I have multiple frames like this and maybe even something better. I don’t live near there anymore. It’s an amazing hike and I would always see the Turkey Vultures! It’s Breakneck Ridge near Beacon, NY. They might not even allow access during this time. Unfortunately in my opinion it’s has become overrun with people. You have to get there early to beat crowds, also once you’re past the 2nd summit (there are 4) it starts to thin out. A lot of the hike is a level 3 and because so many amateurs try to climb they usually just make it to the first main summit.
Hi
Hi Lyle, I had a lot where the Vulture was coming the way the original photo shows, but here’s another angle and there’s more green behind. Still like you said, too far away to come out sharp. I cropped it a bit. If I had a longer lens it might have been better.
I’m not familiar with your camera or lens, but I’m guessing that you did a good job with what you have. Keeping focus from jumping onto the BG is not easy with any rig. And focus can jump around a little even when its kept on the subject. Shooting high speed bursts gives the best chance of some sharper ones.
You have the capability to crop, and I’m sure you can choose to lower saturation on greens – those two tricks will help a lot with the vulture series. I think the BG on the second one is very interesting. You must have a clone tool, too, and could remove the FG element in the UR.
A nice image, Vanessa. I also like the second image. As others have noted the focus isn’t quite there-birds in flight-even slow ones like vultures are not easy. You just need to take lots of images and cull anything that doesn’t meet your current standards. As you practice more, your standards will get higher and you’ll meet them more often. The second image looks like the focus grabbed the far wing which considering how small the vulture was in the frame is certainly understandable.
Thanks Diane! I do have a repair tool, it seems to work better on smaller imperfections! Like a power line. Or maybe I need to keep going at it! Also when I try to change the background it messes up the bird. Oh well! This was taken awhile ago and I am realizing more and more that at least with the equipment I have it really does better with closer subjects. I probably shouldn’t waste my time trying to shoot things at a distance.
I really appreciate your encouragement!
Hi Dennis! You made me laugh about culling and having higher standards! 
I’ve been trying to cull a lot! And when it comes to some subjects it’s very easy, but it’s really hard with Turkey Vultures. I love them so much, it’s because I got to meet one at a Sanctuary and he was so sweet and intelligent. Probably the more encounters and photos I get the easier it will be.
You’ll do better with closer subjects – we all do. Big in the frame (more pixels on the subject) is always best for image quality, but not always best for storytelling. If we only shot what we thought would be successful, we wouldn’t progress much. Shoot what you love, and sometimes there is a gem. But also explore what you will do well with – it sounds contradictory but it isn’t. And it beats spending time with housework.
