Stalker - a minimalist effort

[Radtech1]

Near sunset, last night. I was hoping for some nice cloud/sunset shots. Instead I got this. This one would just sit there - mid air - flapping his wings for several seconds. After being content that he sees all there is to see, he would move south a few yards and hover again. Then all of the sudden he would dive straight down and I would lose him in the shadows and brush.

Too plain? Too dark?

Rad

http://home.ripway.com/2004-2/78486/Canon/SalkerS.jpg

[Dandaman_24]

Awesome shot !

[MattSG]

i like it...well done

[JX]

Too plain? Too dark?



Are you cazy?
It is just right,

Well done. I wish that I had taken it.

Jim

[MattSG]

radtech is the only person on this forum I can think off hand who's photos consistently impress me. Doesn't mean I want all of em framed in my house, just that they are almost always above the bar. Good job killer.

[C5inTemecula]

Nicely done !

[tim]

I like it. I might try a crop to make the birdie a bit bigger.

[dispatchermike21]

Very Nice. What timing.

[mattym]

good shot, the sort of shot we all want to get

[Meerkat17]

Rad, This is the third time I've come back to this image and I keep getting the same thoughts - "the bird seems lost in a sea of orange" Perhaps a "pano" type crop might help.

My other thoughts are: If you are not interested in birds of prey then the shot is probably lost on the viewer. Don't get me wrong I like the image and understand what its saying I just can't stop my eye from wandering into that sea of orange and it annoys me.

Regards
David

[OceanRider]

flipping awwsommmmme!!

[Scottes]

I agree with Meerkat. Another couple hundred millimeters of lens would have been very nice.

[PhotosGuy]

Cropped or not, it's a nice shot! ;-)

[Radtech1]

I agree with Meerkat. Another couple hundred millimeters of lens would have been very nice.

David, Scottes,

I also thought that there was a lot of sky, which is why I asked "Too Plain?" Cropping is an option, as there is little detail to lose in a crop. Thre is one problem with that, though: If I close in on the bird, and in doing so have to sacrifice the horizon, will I lose the context? That is, without the ground to (well) ground the shot, will it seem as though the bird is even more "lost in a sea of orange"?

Here is another shot that I hope answers the problem. The bird has a larger presence, but there is still a horizon and a nice expanse of sky.

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=52556

Let me know if that one is better/worse/same.

Thanks,

Rad

[Meerkat17]

If you crop then I certainly woudn't crop out the horizon as that dark compliments the colour of the bird and pulls/holds the whole image together.

I've looked at the link and will post a reply to that thread - however, I will say that I like the classic shape of the hawk.

David

[PhotosGuy]

I'd probably PS them together in the same shot, but I can be a bit perverted at times! ;-)