Sparrow Hawk M

[Steve Kaluski]

• Steve Kaluski
• www.untamedimages.co.uk
• Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic 13.4 (Macintosh)

A big thank you to Will in posting his SH, as it prompted me to look back and I think found a few Raws that hadn't been processed.


Subject: Sparrow Hawk M (Accipiter nisus)
Camera: Canon EOS R5
Lens: EF 200-400 mm F/4 L IS USM
Exposure: 1/640 at f/7.1 ISO5000
Original format: Landscape, very slight crop

All Raw captures perfectly exposed, confirmed by Raw Digger

Steve


Note: The subject is fully wild and completely unconstrained. Besides the potential impact of my presence, nothing has been done to intentionally alter or affect the ongoing behaviour of the subject.

Wood pigeon is road kill.

 

[Gabriela Plesea]

Hello Steve,

Surely Will is going to appreciate this:w3

I certainly do, must say I do remember the Sparrow Hawk 'series' and glad you found another gem!

A very dramatic scene and the background with its colours is to die for. Subject sharp with great detail and pose is just awesome, nice head angle from the Hawk.

Thoughtfully composed, well exposed and processed and I particularly like the clarity and IQ of this frame.

Thank you so much for sharing, a pleasure to view.

Warmest regards,

 

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Gabriela, well he might get a Sparrow hawk, but I'm pretty sure he is knee deep in Kestrel shots.

Strange, a whole file untouched!!!

A very dramatic scene and the background with its colours is to die for. Subject sharp with great detail and pose is just awesome, nice head angle from the Hawk.

Just loved the BKG we created, certainly a lot more knowledge on the R5 now and getting a frame of the Woodland Kingfisher at ISO32K has proved interesting, but am I tempted to the Dark side...????

Thoughtfully composed, well exposed and processed and I particularly like the clarity and IQ of this frame.

Again, with the updates I have made within camera, a new way for achieving WB in Lr, seems to be delivering 'gutsy' images colour wise.

Thanks for the reply and hope you got some images of a 'Pointy'. :S3:

All the best
Steve

 

[Gabriela Plesea]

Hi Gabriela, well he might get a Sparrow hawk, but I'm pretty sure he is knee deep in Kestrel shots.

Strange, a whole file untouched!!!




Just loved the BKG we created, certainly a lot more knowledge on the R5 now and getting a frame of the Woodland Kingfisher at ISO32K has proved interesting, but am I tempted to the Dark side...????



Again, with the updates I have made within camera, a new way for achieving WB in Lr, seems to be delivering 'gutsy' images colour wise.

Thanks for the reply and hope you got some images of a 'Pointy'. :S3:

All the best
Steve

Steve, I spent the whole afternoon trying to get that shot I so badly wanted... but sadly the subject - or rather subjects - did not come to the party.

Back to your image, I just cannot believe you found a whole folder untouched...would love to see more!

I'd be so thrilled if you gave in to temptation and joined the Dark Side, there's so much to explore and discover...and I know someone else who'd be thrilled as well :bg3:

Have a great week and speak soon,

Warmest regards,

 

[Daniel Cadieux]

What I love best here is the size comparison. Good perch and BG. Did you have the chance to zoom out for some frames with the prey's face visible?

 

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Dan, in the back of my mind I may have, but perhaps not with a great BKG, however the eye is missing and there is no frame that has it so I could ‘drop it in’.

If I do I will probably tag it into this thread, but if it’s worthy then I will post separately.

I think Will D is brimming from ear to ear currently and will perhaps have a years worth of images to trawl through having been to the Kestrel hide. :cheers:

 

[Steve Kaluski]

• Steve Kaluski
• www.untamedimages.co.uk
• Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic 13.4 (Macintosh)

Did you have the chance to zoom out for some frames with the prey's face visible?

Dan, nothing zoomed out, but changed the format, hopefully this answers your question. :S3:

 

[Daniel Cadieux]

It does! It is indeed gruesome, but I prefer it with the whole head in. Thanks for taking the time to repost!

 

[Steve Kaluski]

Good morning, I trust this isn’t the new job making you get up at this hour Dan? :w3

It’s often a tough call I think Dan, but worth having in the bag for such an occasion as this, options. Also, do you go for portraying the full ‘guts & glory’ in focus and pin sharp, or go for a DoF that is more sympathetic to the subject? Such decisions… :S3:

 

[Daniel Cadieux]

5:19am local time is perfect, I've always had an early-riser internal clock And yes, decisions decisions ha ha! I'm in the guts and glory camp if I had to absolutely make a choice, but nice to have all angles covered.

 

[William Dickson]

Hi Steve. Very nice indeed. Personally I prefer the RP. This is what Sparrowhawks do, and you show it well, it tells the story. Lovely colours throughout the image and nice detail. The rusty colours in the BG look nice. I like the feather in the bill. Perch looks good with the feathers about. Nice work and TFS.

I'm not knee deep in Kes images, I'm waist deep :S3: but, well worth it. What a great 2 days I had, with plenty of keepers. Everything worked out well. The batteries in my R6 started to run out of power, but by the time this happened, it was near to finish up, and I used the 1DX Mk2 for the last hour.

Will

 

[Steve Kaluski]

I've always had an early-riser internal clock

I'm with you, however for a moments I thought there was a new arrival in the Cadieux household. :bg3:

 

[Steve Kaluski]

Cheers Will, you have seen more than I will post, but it was just such a cool period shooting more so the female raptor, she was incredibly chilled.

Hopefully there will be other options later in the year so will keep you posted and if you fancy joining up later in the year or early part jan, let me know. Albeit a long drive down, but you know the way and don't require a passport. :S3:

I'm not knee deep in Kes images, I'm waist deep

but, well worth it. What a great 2 days I had, with plenty of keepers. Everything worked out well. The batteries in my R6 started to run out of power, but by the time this happened, it was near to finish up, and I used the 1DX Mk2 for the last hour.

Will everything I told you was exactly what you experience from the birds to the kit so Im really please you had a great time. You'll have enough to keep you going into Autumn, but perhaps thereafter we can change the subject.

 

[Ákos Lumnitzer]

Excellent image, Steve. Love it!
I, too, like Dan, prefer to see the head in full, despite the lack of the pigeon's eye.
What a cool way to photograph this stunning raptor.
I will have to try roadkilled stuff here for the hawks, I am sure I can get some eventually.