Bird of Prey display

[varanus]

well today there was a BOP day at the nottcuts garden centre near here so went along unfortunately all inside under dismal lights and lots of people in a small space so getting knocked all over the place but here are a few of the shots not great but make me want to go to a better place to take some in better light! 8)
http://www.natureseyephotography.co.uk/albums/uploads/eagleIMG_5132.jpg
http://www.natureseyephotography.co.uk/albums/uploads/eagleIMG_5131.jpg
http://www.natureseyephotography.co.uk/albums/uploads/eagleIMG_5107.jpg
http://www.natureseyephotography.co.uk/albums/uploads/falconIMG_5051.jpg
http://www.natureseyephotography.co.uk/albums/uploads/falconIMG_5018.jpg
this one was ISO 1600 with no flash :oops:
http://www.natureseyephotography.co.uk/albums/uploads/falcon.jpg

[superscot]

No 1 for me nice work

[Ferco]

wow love the kestrels!! fantastic shots!!! wouldn't believe the were from inside... nice one!

[Reyno]

Sharp and detailed captures, well done varanus.

[catsith]

they look great to me! Just a thought, it would be nice if you put a space between the photos. (just hit enter button a couple of times inbetween)
I ran your last one thru a noise filter, i think it's a great shot.


http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f24/ottine/falcon_filtered.jpg

[MsUmpire]

great shots...#1 is awesome!!

[kr88]

Nice series of shots. The first shot is my favorite. What was your light source?

[Sindri Skulason]

Excellent shots of these beautiful raptors. Very sharp with wonderful bokeh and I really like the warm light. Brilliant work. :-)

[varanus]

Nice series of shots. The first shot is my favorite. What was your light source?
thanks
diffused flash

[Anthony J Howe]

Dark area under poor light, distractions etc, you you did very well to get excellent shots of these birds of prey, the colours and details are very good, nice ones, well done.

[justin carpenter]

not great? I think they are lol. Number one also takes my vote, I also like number 3 great work!

[varanus]

No 1 for me nice work

thanks for the comment and the look

[varanus]

wow love the kestrels!! fantastic shots!!! wouldn't believe the were from inside... nice one!

thanks any more kite shots lately?

[varanus]

Sharp and detailed captures, well done varanus.

thanks

[varanus]

thanks i normally do forgot that time:oops: I ran it through neat image allready iso 1600 on the 350d is a tad noisey just thought it was worth a shot to not use flash

they look great to me! Just a thought, it would be nice if you put a space between the photos. (just hit enter button a couple of times inbetween)
I ran your last one thru a noise filter, i think it's a great shot.


http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f24/ottine/falcon_filtered.jpg

[varanus]

great shots...#1 is awesome!!

thanks it was prob the one that was hardest to capture but managed to get down to its level for that shot moments later had somone tapping me on the shoulder asking how much for a shot with his kid and one they looked disapointed when I said they were just for me and the guy doing the talk had a polaroid over in the corner for that:lol:

[varanus]

Excellent shots of these beautiful raptors. Very sharp with wonderful bokeh and I really like the warm light. Brilliant work. :-)

thanks it was all in dismal light with the 100-400 and flash so better than i expected them to look but still think they would be so much better in the sunlight

[Lame-Duck]

From Golden Eagle to Kestrel.....what a jump in size of raptors. Both are beautiful birds, and your captures are excellent.

[Ed Rotberg]

First of all, let me state that these are really fine images, and all the more remarkable given the lighting conditions. I like the catchlights that you got in most of these. They might benefit from a touch of White Balance adjustment, but all in all they are terrific!

Just a comment about noise filters and their use with birds. Personally, I hate 'em. If you look at the two examples of the Kestrel here and look around the neck region in both images, you can see how the "blanket" use of a noise removal tool really ruined the feather detail that is present in the original.

That said, I do think that you can successfully use these tools in an image such as this IF you care careful to ONLY filter the background and out of focus areas, leaving all other areas of the photos alone. I have never seen any decent way to treat feather images for noise when there is good feather detail. I've tried a lot myself, and looked at the efforts of others. IMHO (and that's all this is) it's best to not even try. I find the artifacts from the noise removal far more annoying than the noise was.

Time was (and I'm dating myself here) noise in a Tri-X photo was considered more than acceptable, and in many cases even desireable. A good image will shine through the noise.

FWIW, I have a recent post here where I went back and did some noise removal of just the background areas. Both the before and after images are still in that post. You simply don't notice the noise in the detail areas.

= Ed =

[varanus]

From Golden Eagle to Kestrel.....what a jump in size of raptors. Both are beautiful birds, and your captures are excellent.

thanks, the eagle is a steppe? eagle from russia apparantly

[varanus]

thanks Ed thats the first real usefull advice/observation ive had in a while I shall take it on board and think how to apply it better and maybe have another go PP them


First of all, let me state that these are really fine images, and all the more remarkable given the lighting conditions. I like the catchlights that you got in most of these. They might benefit from a touch of White Balance adjustment, but all in all they are terrific!

Just a comment about noise filters and their use with birds. Personally, I hate 'em. If you look at the two examples of the Kestrel here and look around the neck region in both images, you can see how the "blanket" use of a noise removal tool really ruined the feather detail that is present in the original.

That said, I do think that you can successfully use these tools in an image such as this IF you care careful to ONLY filter the background and out of focus areas, leaving all other areas of the photos alone. I have never seen any decent way to treat feather images for noise when there is good feather detail. I've tried a lot myself, and looked at the efforts of others. IMHO (and that's all this is) it's best not even to try. I find the artifacts from the noise removal far more annoying than the noise was.

Time was (and I'm dating myself here) noise in a Tri-X photo was considered more than acceptable, and in many cases even desireable. A good image will shine through the noise.

FWIW, I have a recent post here where I went back and did some noise removal of just the background areas. Both the before and after images are still in that post. You simply don't notice the noise in the detail areas.

= Ed =

[IanC_UK]

very nice Varanus :) only thing i would change (and i can understand why you havent under the circumstances) would be to leave a little more space on the side of the frame they are looking into ! but very very nice under the conditions :)

Would agree with Ed's post too !

Another edit, i must be tired ! lol

The Kestrels are actually Lanner Falcons ! :)

[varanus]

very nice Varanus :) only thing i would change (and i can understand why you havent under the circumstances) would be to leave a little more space on the side of the frame they are looking into ! but very very nice under the conditions :)

Would agree with Ed's post too !

Another edit, i must be tired ! lol

The Kestrels are actually Lanner Falcons ! :)

yep they are sorry forgot to mention that:o

[Lame-Duck]

thanks, the eagle is a steppe? eagle from russia apparantly
Oops....I often make the wrong assumptions.:oops:

[varanus]

Oops....I often make the wrong assumptions.:oops:

your not alone ;)