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Portrait of a Surprise Backyard Visitor
Portrait of a Surprise Backyard Visitor
MaryO


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Free Study XVII (Advanced Editing V)
Collection: Raptors
Camera: Nikon D200
Lens: Sigma 100-300mm f/4.0 EX IF HSM for Nikon
Location: Springfield, VA
Date: Aug 11, 2007
Aperture: 5.6
ISO: 200
Shutter: 1/500
Galleries: Nature, Animals
Date Uploaded: Aug 11, 2007

 I looked out my window and this guy was just sitting on my deck and there was this Free Study speed challenge and he was still there when I came back with the camera and ... well, what's a girl to do? Can't let an opportunity like that go by, even if it does mean I'm entering yet another flying thing in a FS. It was just so cool to have this wild creature basically pose!! I liked quite a few of the shots but chose this one because he was looking at me and the highlights in the background behind his head were really nice, almost like a halo.

I'm pretty sure this is a juvenile Red-tailed Hawk, but I am not a bird expert.

Photo taken through a glass door with the big lens and the teleconverter; didn't think he'd stay put if I went outside. Actually, I'm stunned he let me stand as close as I was ;-)

PP - converted from RAW, cropped, levels, dodged eye slightly and cloned out odd highlight, dodged/burnt feathers a bit to compensate for glass reflections, increased contrast, created 2nd layer and blurred background, merged, added border, resized, sharpened, reduced noise overall and with brush along edges of bird

Statistics
Place: 117 out of 452
Avg (all users): 5.9314
Avg (commenters): 7.2857
Avg (participants): 5.8265
Avg (non-participants): 6.0649
Views since voting: 1208
Views during voting: 238
Votes: 175
Comments: 9
Favorites: 1 (view)

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AuthorThread
Apple iPhone 11 Pro
Canon EF 17-40mm f/4.0 L USM
 07/05/2008 09:07:53 PM
Great clarity and I especially like the highlight around the top side of the head. It's as if this were a professional portrait session for Heady Hawk!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
Canon EOS-350D Rebel XT
Sigma 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 DC for Canon
 08/16/2007 08:41:48 PM
Wow, a gorgeous photo of a gorgeous bird
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark III
Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0 L IS
 08/16/2007 12:50:28 PM
Very nice! Lovely softness to the feathers.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-5D Mark II
Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0 L IS
 08/15/2007 11:38:27 PM
Beautiful bird, pity its not in sharper focus.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon PowerShot Pro1
 08/15/2007 03:29:04 AM
very detailed bird
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon D850
Nikon AF-S DX Zoom Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 ED
 08/14/2007 04:55:07 PM
NIce colorfull image. Hard shot to get. Well done psart 8
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-7D
Canon EF-S 60mm f/2.8 Macro USM
 08/14/2007 08:04:14 AM
Nice Effect!! Good luck..
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon D200
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED
 08/13/2007 08:53:22 AM
Beautiful bird and good focus on the eye. For some reason, the composition doesn't quite work for me. Either way, great shot.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon D800
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED
 08/13/2007 12:36:23 AM
lovely tones...almost like a painting 8
  Photographer found comment helpful.
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