Yesterday I went to Jamaica Bay National Wildlife Refuge here in New York City and chose to set up in a location that I'd seen this Northern Harrier last week. When I spotted the Harrier I had just taken a photo at infinity and with the close subject and focused at infinity wide open the camera did not even try to hunt. I quickly tilted down to the water below the Harrier and it started to focus so I tilted back on and bang on focus. This is the first frame of my burst.
Comments and suggestions welcome,
Morris
X-H2SXF500mmF5.6 R LM OIS WR lens500mmf/5.61/1250s800 ISO0.0 EV
Lovely image. Unlike many of my images it is tack sharp everywhere.
On the purely technical side: the color and saturation feel a bit much (for me) and don't tie well with the somewhat muted color of the sky and the white-ish area on the tail. There also appears to be a processing glitch right above the beak.
GroovyGeek wrote:
Lovely image. Unlike many of my images it is tack sharp everywhere.
On the purely technical side: the color and saturation feel a bit much (for me) and don't tie well with the somewhat muted color of the sky and the white-ish area on the tail. There also appears to be a processing glitch right above the beak.
Thank you Boyan,
The photo was taken 15 minutes before sunset and the color is unchanged from what I observed and the camera captured. The background is the West Pond and a bit uneven due to out of focus ripples. The sky would be even and/or show clouds. Above the beak there are tiny feathers that look like hairs. Blow the image up and you will see them.
csinseattle wrote:
Morris,
Nice shot, they say when you see Harriers there are Shorties
Chris S
Thank you Chris,
I just checked and the last time a short eared owl was reported at Jamaica Bay National Wildlife Refuge was about 30 years ago. That was just one on a single day and the previous time was 10 years before.
guidostow wrote:
You have made her look beautiful Morris! Nice image!
Thank you Guy,
I've learned where and when she hunts and have now photographed her multiple times. She is a huge challenge as she flyers silently and along a shore line that is hard to see. I want to get a photo of her coming at me with the sunset light illuminating her face.