Female Kestrel - younger

[Steve Kaluski]

• Steve Kaluski
• www.untamedimages.co.uk
• Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic 14.2 (Macintosh)

This is the younger of the two females, we think from two years ago, daughter of the other older female. The day mainly consisted of the two adult females giving it some.... the male only coming in first thing in the morning. The R1 just nails the AF effortless, far more than the R3, needing faster cards and far more keepers.

Subject: Kestrel (M) (Falco tinnunculus)
Camera: Canon EOS R1
Lens: EF 200-400 f/4 IS USM
Exposure: 1/4000 at f/9 ISO4000
Original format: Landscape, almost FF

Thanks to those who viewed or posted a comment on the previous image.

 

[Jan van Holten]

The bird looks great, nothing more-nothing less. I like the idea of the upright stones, but I would have placed the thick wooden pole in such a way that it would not be visible. But like many comments this is a personal opinion!

 

[Steve Kaluski]

Thanks Jan, it’s not my choice either, normally I can get them with the wall flanking either side. This time she came down from behind us, so had no choice in the framing.

The other issue is the woodland behind because it’s so bare you get patches of sky popping through, plus from wall to tree line it’s only 20m, it doesn’t create a cool bokeh backdrop, all you can do is a bit of dodging in PP.

Cheers
Steve

 

[Dave Pastern]

Lovely quizzical image from the young female Steve. I'd be delighted to get a shot like this.

 

[Steve Kaluski]

Thanks Dave, there are a few more to come, with a few that might surprise a few folk, but all down to the updated AF system.

 

[Jan van Holten]

Thanks Jan, it’s not my choice either, normally I can get them with the wall flanking either side. This time she came down from behind us, so had no choice in the framing.

The other issue is the woodland behind because it’s so bare you get patches of sky popping through, plus from wall to tree line it’s only 20m, it doesn’t create a cool bokeh backdrop, all you can do is a bit of dodging in PP.

Cheers
Steve

Hi Steve. I can't worry about a background like this and I don't think it's ugly either. It only becomes ugly if there are striking dark (black) parts visible. And as you write, you have to do it with the circumstances as they are. The other choice is not to make an image, but well, that is a lot to be asked. I actually assumed that you had built this wall yourself??