Red-tailed on a mission

Image Critiques Avian Critiques
1

Red-tailed on a mission
Red-tailed on a mission2000×1479 256 KB

And the frame just before, at 12 fps. I was obviously moving the camera up, a little too late. Ouch! But interestingly there is no obvious blur from that movement. Lens and body IS were on.

_49A8973-Edit
_49A8973-Edit2000×1405 293 KB

Another from Lake Pleasant, the same hawk Kris and I both got perched in a tree then taking off. I just clipped the primaries in my first shot as it took off (posted below this one). I got this one in the frame but wish it was a split-second earlier or later, with a more symmetrical wing position. Both are the full frame. Both have a slightly elongated catchlight but are at 1/3200 sec and I wonder if the position of the catchlight on the edge of the cornea might be the reason, rather than motion blur.

Specific Feedback Requested

All comments welcome.

Technical Details

Is this a composite: No
Canon R5, 100-500 + 1.4X at 700. ISO 1000, f/10, 1/3200 sec. Linear profile with the usual slider adjustments, nothing heroic. Into PS for Topaz Denoise, then I tried Topaz Sharpen to see if it would correct any motion blur but it didn’t. I let it do a little general sharpening (soft image algorithm) but going too far gave obvious oversharpening to the finest details. No crop in either image.

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Nice look at this bird. The wing position is especially pleasing and the tail in the second one is fantastic. They move so darn fast and you were zoomed in so tight. You could crop more with the second one and make more of a portrait. The detail is certainly there.

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Excellent job on the detail. When physicians are good in both images although the outside wing of the first image is a little dark. I don’t think there’s anything you could have done about that. Anytime you get a full frame image of a bird the size is a good thing. You certainly could play around with the second image and use some of the plumage from the lower wing to clone into the upper wing if you have the time. Just a thought.

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Thanks guys! I did wonder if somewhere in the archives I might have an almost-identical wing position to clone in the feather tips… I do have some shots of our local Red-tailed.

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