Female snail kite

[arash_hazeghi]

Female snail kite. Taken from Jim Neiger's boat.

108781

1D4 500mm f/4 1/1250sec ISO 3200.

Hope you like it

[Don Nelson]

Well done, Arash, as always.
Great lighting. Excellent wing positioning.
Was this take off (or landing?)

[arash_hazeghi]

Well done, Arash, as always.
Great lighting. Excellent wing positioning.
Was this take off (or landing?)

Hey Don,
Thanks for your comments! it was a take off.

[Brendan Dozier]

Nice one, Arash, like the light and details. Great pose and perfect for vertical frame.

[Stu Bowie]

Hi Arash, tack sharp, and you timed the raised wing position nicely. Love the light in this too.

[Arno Ellmer]

The timing here is perfect,Arash.I love the complete wing unfolded and the feather details and patterns.HA and eye contact also great !

[Bill Dix]

Wonderful light and wing position, Arash. Terrific for ISO 3200. Without giving away trade secrets, did you run any NR on the bird?

[arash_hazeghi]

Hi Bill, I did use NR on the bird, you have to at this high ISO.

Thanks everyone for nice comments

[Jonathan Ashton]

Like it? Just a bit! Super timing and pin sharp - great shot.

[Daniel Cadieux]

Superb pose with the straight-up wings, and there is just enough foliage showing. Good vertical comp too.

[Paul GREENGRASS]

"Hope you like it"

Just a little Arash in fact I like it a lot.
What's not to like.
Timed to perfection.

[Marina Scarr]

Probably the best female snail kite take off pose i have ever seen. Like those ominous hanging talons! Why wasn't there a snail in her talons? :) Was this photographed in horizontal and cropped to vertical?

[arash_hazeghi]

Probably the best female snail kite take off pose i have ever seen. Like those ominous hanging talons! Why wasn't there a snail in her talons? :) Was this photographed in horizontal and cropped to vertical?

Hi Marina, I always shoot horizontal (hand hold)

[dankearl]

Just a great wing shot, excellent.
I am interested in your comment about always shooting horizontal.
I handhold, not quite as big a lens as yours, but 300 f2.8 w tc's is close and I shoot vertical at times.
What is your reasoning, for only shooting horizontal?

[arash_hazeghi]

Just a great wing shot, excellent.
I am interested in your comment about always shooting horizontal.
I handhold, not quite as big a lens as yours, but 300 f2.8 w tc's is close and I shoot vertical at times.
What is your reasoning, for only shooting horizontal?

Thanks Dan
It is not easy to hand hold a 500 rig vertical, the balance and the position of right arm is just awkward/uncomfortable and you lose control/precision in tracking. Also the MK4 AF sensors are not cross type at f/5.6 (500+TC that is) so it loses precision and keeper ratio will drop. There is really no advantage in a vertical flight shot, if you are that close that you need to go vert to fit the bird you will most likely clip or end up with a super tight composition with too shallow dof...

It is easier with a light and short lens like the 300 f/2.8 though.

[John Ippolito]

Arash, this is a beautiful posture with the wings straight up, nice light, details, and the vertical comp works very well here. Excellent image.

[Sachin Saraf]

Excellent Image Arash...everything else is said :S3:...and yes handholding 500mm is an art to be mastered if you do not have very strong shoulders...I can not even think of shooting vertical for flight shots handholding that beast.