Eurasian Marsh Harrier in flight

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Sidharth Kodikal

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Sep 13, 2009
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_X7A4873.jpg

When they winter in India, you're lucky if you encounter 1 male for every 15 females of this species, and they spook very easily when you do.
Stoked to get this stunning individual in flight. I believe this is an immature male (no judgement).

This was my favorite of the several flight poses he gave me.

Canon R5, 600 f4
1/3200, f7.1, ISO 1250
HH, Manual

The white OOF blobs in the BG behind the head are painted storks. I evicted a couple of those that were brighter.
Also added some canvas to the top.

All feedback and reposts welcomed.

Thanks!
 
Hi Sid, lovely image and I really like the way the wings are splayed out.

A bit more room on the LHS, for me its all a wee bit tight. I can see a version where the WB is a bit more Blue & Tint more green, adding a Curves Mid tone to the subject for a bit more bit oomph and the sky a punchy blue rather than carrying a magenta look and the grass in line, just my take.

TFS
Steve
 
Don't think so. This was perfectly ETTR and the image is tack sharp looking at the RAW at 100%. I barely even sharpened this image.
Harrier feathers are just have that soft silky look. You'll see that in the Northern Harriers in North America too. People mistake that for softness / NR often.
 
Hi Sid .. a very nice image of this species , specially with the pose and the full lit subject .
Nicely separated from the bi/tricolored BG ...
Very nice work to capture this .
Color does look a bit off to me , but I must admit I am still sticking to my old MBP .... so I might be not correct . Too much on the red/magenta side for my taste .... easy fix if you wish

TFS Andreas
 
This was perfectly ETTR and the image is tack sharp looking at the RAW at 100%.

Sid, the only 'definitive' way to know if it's perfectly exposed is via Raw Digger, both camera and software will, to a degree sell you short. I bet if I took the image into RD it would be 1/3 to 2/3rds under.


I barely even sharpened this image.

Unlike film, Digital will ALWAYS need to have some form of sharpening applied. Even if the raw is pin sharp, for output you will always need to sharpen for 'perceived' sharpness, fact.


Harrier feathers are just have that soft silky look. You'll see that in the Northern Harriers in North America too. People mistake that for softness / NR often.

Thanks for the clarification.
 
Good to know. Not a betting man, so I won't take you up on that bet :t3. I reduced the RAW over half a stop, and pulled back highlights significantly. Not really looking to add another piece of software to my toolbox at the moment.

I probably should've sharpened it more -- I tend to be too conservative with that.

Will definitely try the color tweaks that you and Andreas mentioned. Thanks for all the help.
 
Not really looking to add another piece of software to my toolbox at the moment.

I think that is wise, plus you need to put set up too correctly.


I reduced the RAW over half a stop, and pulled back highlights significantly.

That's the beauty of ETTR, pulling back isn't a problem, its going the other way when you introduce even more noise. On the post is is marginally clipped in the HL's but nothing to worry about.


I probably should've sharpened it more -- I tend to be too conservative with that.

Providing you sharpen at actual size for output and it looks right, then it is, once you nail it 99% of the time you can use the same formulation. BTW keep portrait to 1600px 1920px a bit big.
 
A stunning flight pose right on sun angle with perfectly lit underparts. If it were mine, I would lose the large and small whitewash (??) on the tail feathers. Bad luck on the horizon line ...

with love, a
 
harrier_1600.jpg

All feedback taken onboard

WB improvement
Poop-scoop
More oomph with curves
More sharpening.
 
Sidharth, this is stunning. The pose, the eye contact, the light angle and the gorgeous color to compliment the subject are all super.

This is one to enjoy. The repost cracks too, congrats!
 

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