These photos are the epitome of the bird photography style known as “bird on a stick”. But at least it’s a natural stick and he did “salute” me to make up for it.
1/2500, f/8, ISO 500, Canon 7D, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
Kestrels generally prefer high perches but at Farmington there are few natural perches of any kind, tall or short, so this guy settled for the tallest, skinniest one he could find on a short “tree”. Even so he was still pretty close to eye level to me and even though he was sidelit his body was angled toward the sun so I had good light on all of his important parts. I like the result.
And I love his deceiving demeanor. To me he looks so sweet, gentle and calm here, not at all like his true self – an incredibly fierce and efficient little killer (yes, there’s blood on his belly and toes that can be seen a little better in the next shot).
1/2500, f/7.1, ISO 500, Canon 7D, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
At one point he flashed a single wing at me and I don’t know why. Usually when that happens they’ve lost their balance but he was relaxed on the perch the entire time. He certainly didn’t appear to be losing his balance and it was far too fast for a stretch. It was out for only a split-second and as he folded it back he hadn’t changed his relaxed posture in the least. Who knows why he did it but I thought it looked almost like he was giving me a snappy salute.
I thought it was an interesting pose, even with the sidelight. And even though I barely got a catch light in his eye I did get one so I like the shot.
Ron
Note:
Speaking of catch lights, here’s some full disclosure.
I never artificially add catch lights to my images (for more reasons than one but that’s another story). But occasionally I’ll slightly enhance one that already exists, which is what I’ve done with this second photo. The catch light was there but it wasn’t very distinct so I selected the 5 pixels involved and applied a very small amount of sharpening to them. Among other things sharpening brightens pixels so it made just the right amount of difference in my judgment. There are other methods of enhancing catch lights too, most of which involve selectively increasing their exposure. I don’t see any of them as cheating or being dishonest because in serious photography adjustments like sharpening and exposure are normally done to virtually all photos.
Over the years I’ve deleted many photos that had no catch light at all that I otherwise liked very much. It’s painful, very painful.
I’m embarrassed. These photos weren’t taken at Farmington – instead they were taken near my neighborhood on my way home from Farmington. Synapse gap failure once again.
There is no way a bird could perch on a stick like that. You must have photoshopped it (just kidding.) I think I know why he is posing and stretching his wing like that. He’s just rubbing it in because we can’t do either..
Seriously though, I am taken by the pure blue background and the sharp details of the Kestrel. Like Jo Ann, the photos were great to wake up to this morning (which I do every morning), but I’m late in commenting.
“There is no way a bird could perch on a stick like that”
At the risk of being crass, every time I look at these photos I wonder if he has a stick up his ass. 🙂 At least that would explain how he stays up there! Thank you, Lyle.
Ron, both great photos. I think you are being ‘saluted’! Thanks
I thought so too, Alice – deservedly so! 🙂
He looked perfectly contented. Looks like you are as well. Nice capture!
Yup, two out of two in the contented department. Thanks, Jean.
I love these photographs. That first pic is so perfect! What a gorgeous bird and what a gorgeous “bird-on-a-stick” pic!!
Thank you, Joanne.
Beautiful bird …great shot…He was just saying…”Hi Ron”….
And I said it back to him, Steve. 🙂 Thanks.
Ron,
Where in Lightroom or Photoshop do you find this ‘catchlight ” augmentation feature? Thanks, John
It’s just sharpening in PS, John – applied selectively to only the catch light. I select the catch light pixels and then use Unsharp Mask to “sharpen” them which actually brightens them. Then I fade Unsharp Mask however much I like.
Yet more gorgeous photos of the pint-sized assassin.
I am awed at its balance too.
Thank you, EC.
Well, Ron – I read your blog early this morning on my Kindle but I’m only getting to my desktop computer now. I love both captures but especially the 1st!! I guess in some ways because of the handsome raptor’s amazing balance. I myself, could NEVER do that – LOL!! As for the second one, I thought the same as you – he was waving at you!!! However, after reading about your series of photos, I have another possibility to suggest. You know how you can get a kink in your knee, foot, etc. & you have move it? I bet he got a kink in his wing & was fixing it!! What do you think?! LOL!!
Who knows, Jo Ann. Certainly not me!
Just beautiful—-I especially loved your capture of the exquisite and surprisingly long body/breast plumage . Besides the tiny beak/large eyes proportion, the large forehead also
is reminiscent of the human baby’s big “dome”—eliciting from us that ” AWWWW, how cute” response. I loved the simplicity of the image–it’s almost as if “the stick” is a
purposefully-wrought presentation piece for this gorgeous little jewel.
“it’s almost as if “the stick” is a purposefully-wrought presentation piece for this gorgeous little jewel.”
Well said, Kris. I thought something similar but not in such eloquent terms.
Beautiful series, Ron. Both are special, but I really like the one-winged salute!
Thank you, Diane.
‘Sweet’ for sure! The first photo depicts him as demure, coquettish even. Boy is that a misconception once you observe them tearing apart a vole! All in a day’s work for this little killer. But I sure enjoy finding them and these two photos are terrific. And it is a natural ‘BIS’ which beats the ‘BOW’ I usually find them on! I’ve often wondered why I find them so demure🤭…perhaps it’s those large eyes with the small beak. Whatever it is…they are beauties.
“I’ve often wondered why I find them so demure”
Interesting, Kathy. It isn’t very often that they look demure to me and that’s why this guy’s demeanor stood out for me. The eye of the beholder I guess…
Good morning Ron. He is indeed an incredibly fierce and efficient little killer, but what a sweet smile. No predator has a more sweet and innocent look that a kestrel. I work with our Kestrel preservation teams here and have come to really love these little killers. The catch-eye in the first photo is what you hope for in every photo, but so often fail to get. Beautiful Ron thanks.
Everett Sanborn, Prescott AZ
Yes, the catch light in the first shot is a good one but if it hadn’t been winter I’d have never had a catchlight at all because these photos (unusual for me) were taken at about midday. You can tell from the position of the catch light on the eyeball that the sun was fairly high in the sky. If it had been summer with the sun overhead I’d never have had the reflected light in the eye. Thank you, Everett.
VERY nice! 🙂 Amazing what they can perch on. Appears to me that his right foot and a spot on his lower chest are blood? Perhaps he had eaten recently and was just relaxing while waving “hi there” 🙂 Catch lights are a challenge at times and can sure make/break a photo………
Yup, that’s blood, Judy. If you look carefully you can find blood somewhere on a kestrel more often than not – especially in areas like Farmington where they feed mostly on voles.
Outstanding shots Ron!
Charlotte
Thanks, Charlotte.
A snappy salute for sure, and well deserved.
Thanks for the beautiful work Ron, here’s to clear skies and opportunities captured.
Ha, “clear skies”??? Not a chance, Dave. Not around here lately and not this morning. It’s driving me absolutely bonkers and I was a little bonkers to start.
I adore kestrels, and these are some of the finest photos I’ve seen of one. I didn’t know the terms ‘bird on a stick’ or ‘catch light,’ so learning those was a plus. ‘Catch light’ is as poetic as the bird is beautiful.
Shoreacres, there are two primary “styles” in bird photography,”BOS” – bird on a stick and “BIH” – bird in habitat. Each style has proponents and detractors. I lean toward the latter but when done well I like them both. If birds like sticks, then so do I… 🙂