How to improve Falcon close up?

[fearby]

http://homepages.nildram.co.uk/~fearby/falcon.jpg

Not difficult to get close to the bird but how can I make the pic special - is it sharp enough?

[grislybear5]

absolutely fantastic photo. beautiful bird.

Grisly

[Conk]

I think what is happening here is the background. It is a good depth of focus but the suburban area behind the bird doesn't fit the image. The image could be sharper and it is too centered. The bird is beautiful no doubt about it.
Can you get a shot in a different environment? If not can you get it being held by the handler.
I have the almost identical shots with the same problem. Also see other photos here.http://www.pbase.com/conk/animals&page=all
http://www.pbase.com/image/4557481/medium.jpg

[henkbos]

Replace the background in PS. You will be amazed how this shot will look.

[neil_r]

If you lost the background the bird would jump out, If you open the lense you have to be carefull to keep the bird sharp.

I took these at a game fair with a very nasty wooden fence behind the birds.

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/neil.rice1/forum/cla1.jpg

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/neil.rice1/cla/Gold1.jpg


Neil

[Darrell_F]

http://darrell-f.hypermart.net/test/falcon_copy.jpg

[fearby]

top!

[henkbos]

Almost there and for sure a lot better than the original. I would prefer to blur the background a little. Both in focus makes the effect unreal. You might also want to soften the outer edges a little.