My Friends The Red Shoulder Hawk Couple

[matthewo]

There are a pair of red shoulder hawks living about a mile from my house, I have found the nest, everytime I go to the spot they are around. lighting was not so good this day it was full of clouds and a storm was coming in, I had to shoot wide open at F4 and some had high iso as well.

Was really happy to get this first one, probably my favorite - in flight of a hawk, to bad I clipped the top part of the wing, but ohh well, still my favorite due to detail/focus and lighting on the head... I also like number 2 because of both of them in the photo and wing positions and they are looking at each other, the others I could just delete I guess, they are not so good because of shutter speed couldn't be fast enough without maxing out ISO, and they are somewhat noisy as well.

1)


2)


3)


4)


5)

 

[sm4him]

Wow, these are EXCELLENT! I particularly love #1 and #4--I think #4 is my favorite.

On the first one, that wing is so *barely* clipped that I think it might be worth working on--I'd bet you could clone in that little tiny bit of missing wing and then add just a touch more of the background above it--this is just such a great shot, it'd be worth the effort on it to make it into a stellar shot.

 

[matthewo]

im not so good with photoshop retouches, so i did this in a couple of minutes, probably fine for websizes

View attachment 46977

 

[coastalconn]

Great series Matt! What were you shooting at to get both hawks in focus? Or were you far enough away to get that much DOF?

 

[jedirunner]

I love the set. #1 is great. I also like #2 (though I can't decide if I like the leaves in front of the tail of the hawk that's landing) -- just love the implied movement of the land.

Kevin

 

[PixelRabbit]

Great set of a gorgeous creature!

 

[matthewo]

Great series Matt! What were you shooting at to get both hawks in focus? Or were you far enough away to get that much DOF?

F4, looking closer at the photo their heads are almost at the same distance or focal plane so that helped. I guess sometimes you get lucky like that. I guess, sharping probably helped also

 

[baturn]

I usually would prefer the in flight photos, but in this case I really like #2. My only suggestion would be a little more room above the outstretched wing. All are great.

 

[matthewo]

here is a photo I really wished had come out better, but I was watching the other hawk and had focus on it not the one flying. also my shutter speed was too slow and lighting was so dark.