Peregrine Falcon

Gallery: AvianPosted March 12, 2012443 views26 comments

Here's a shot from last week at the Washington coast. I finally went out to Ocean Shores to see and photograph the Snowy Owls. I found them and got some nice but unremarkable images of them. On the way back in we paused and I looked to my right. This Peregrine was at eye level on a piece of driftwood. I crawled up to it and took a lot of images as it was very cooperative. In this one I backed up a bit to include the whole piece of driftwood it was on. You can see a few hail streaks in the bg. It's abvout 90% of FF.

7D 500F4 1.4x 1/500 F8, iso 400, evaluative metering +0.3, handheld

Comments

26 comments

Comment posted by Peter Cross on March 12, 2012 at 10:14 PM

Very nice, Nate. What stuck me the most was how the PF appeared as an extension of the driftwood. The breast of the bird continues the up ward curve of the front of the driftwood. While the back is an extension of the upward sloping side. Nice alert bird striking a good pose. Well seen and composed.

Registered on April 3, 2010, 271 Posts, 1342 Comments

Comment posted by Craig Strand on March 12, 2012 at 10:19 PM

Very exceptional image, but isn't that when you find your best photo's, when you least expect them. Snowy Owls are nice too but this is really great with the falcons profile blending and matching that of the driftwood. Congrats!

Registered on March 30, 2008, 416 Posts, 2885 Comments

Comment posted by Harry Harris on March 12, 2012 at 10:28 PM

What a great perch and I agree with including the whole perch. I am sure glad the falcon cooperated so we could see this image. It is just stunning with the look back head turn. Nice!!!

Registered on August 2, 2010, 169 Posts, 741 Comments

Comment posted by Max Waugh on March 12, 2012 at 11:03 PM

Remarkable that it allowed you this close, Nate. Wow. I really like the way the bird acts as an extension of the upward patterns in the wood, as Peter mentioned.

Max

Registered on September 26, 2008, 428 Posts, 2329 Comments

Comment posted by Ken Archer on March 13, 2012 at 3:39 AM

You already know how envious I am about this photo. The more I look at it, the more I like it. The drift wood and the falcon with this perfect pose have become one, but that deadly talon adds a super cool counter balance. I like the pastel looking background too. This is wildlife photography at it's finest moment. Killer photo Nate!!!

Ken Archer

Registered on October 28, 2004, 222 Posts, 6683 Comments

Comment posted by Howard Cheek on March 13, 2012 at 9:34 AM

Really like the look back pose and overall comp, this perch works very well too Nate.
Great BG and the techs look great!

Registered on July 24, 2008, 1201 Posts, 10758 Comments

Comment posted by Barbara Graham on March 13, 2012 at 9:42 AM

Very, very special image, Nate.

Registered on July 27, 2010, 1310 Posts, 5035 Comments

Comment posted by dan elster on March 13, 2012 at 9:56 AM

Wow, I'm jealous! I was there and can sort of envision where you found this bird. Love the perch and comp.

Registered on September 23, 2005, 299 Posts, 2443 Comments

Comment posted by Jim Hackley on March 13, 2012 at 11:52 AM

Very interesting shot and amazing that you were able to get close to a Peregrine, I like the pose and the driftwood perch, well done.

Registered on September 17, 2009, 302 Posts, 5535 Comments

Comment posted by Robert Bunch on March 13, 2012 at 12:22 PM

Great shot! I also like the way the bird sort of unifies with the perch and extends the flow (so to speak). The fact that it's a peregrine falcon alone would make it a great shot in my eyes. I have never even seen one. Oh yeah, I also really like the hail streaks.

Registered on May 18, 2004, 124 Posts, 2503 Comments

Comment posted by Claus Johansson on March 13, 2012 at 1:23 PM

Really a beauty. I'm amazed you can get so close to the bird. It must have been a fantastic experience.

Registered on March 28, 2010, 18 Posts, 48 Comments

Comment posted by Doug Backlund on March 13, 2012 at 1:58 PM

What a stroke of luck for you and you made the most of it. Great bird, perch, bg, it's all there.

Registered on September 29, 2005, 252 Posts, 3380 Comments

Comment posted by Fabio Giarrizzo on March 13, 2012 at 2:47 PM

Excellent subtle light, fine detail and a perfect perch for that beauty- Great job, Fabio

Registered on December 3, 2010, 90 Posts, 1614 Comments

Comment posted by Sally Wood on March 13, 2012 at 4:35 PM

Awesome image.. something for me to aspire to for sure... I love the clutching talon, and the gracefull slope of the perch..

Registered on March 8, 2012, 39 Posts, 509 Comments

Comment posted by Simon Bennett on March 13, 2012 at 6:37 PM

Fabulous image - I especially like the shared tones, textures and curves of bird and perch.

Registered on February 4, 2007, 350 Posts, 4614 Comments

Comment posted by Angela McCain on March 13, 2012 at 10:19 PM

Truly exceptional. The bird and perch mirror each other perfectly. I like the accentuated feet and talons produced by the angle of the image.

Registered on April 19, 2009, 367 Posts, 3589 Comments

Comment posted by Verdon on March 13, 2012 at 10:47 PM

three thumbs up ....

Registered on June 10, 2011, 147 Posts, 1444 Comments

Comment posted by Tom Ingram on March 13, 2012 at 10:58 PM

Nate, agree with all the comments on the way the PF is one with the driftwood that make for great composition. My only suggestion would be to add a little more blue to the background to enhance the DOF

Registered on January 31, 2012, 2 Posts, 10 Comments

Comment posted by Rob Drummond on March 14, 2012 at 6:40 AM

Great idea to include the perch Nate - love the lines

Registered on November 8, 2003, 617 Posts, 8267 Comments

Comment posted by wade pettitt on March 14, 2012 at 8:36 PM

Nate, simply amazing. I love everything about this image. Funny how sometimes we get an image of something we did not expect.

Registered on May 6, 2009, 184 Posts, 471 Comments

Comment posted by KC Choo on March 14, 2012 at 9:02 PM

Wonderful image, Nate! I like your inclusion of more of the perch.

Registered on November 15, 2004, 519 Posts, 8278 Comments

Comment posted by Nate Chappell on March 15, 2012 at 1:44 PM

Thanks for all of your nice comments on this one!

Registered on February 1, 2006, 1158 Posts, 19528 Comments

Comment posted by Ray Whitt on March 15, 2012 at 6:49 PM

Wonderful shot, the perch works so well with the image and the pose couldn't be better.

Ray

Registered on May 27, 2011, 92 Posts, 2619 Comments

Comment posted by Charles Gangas on March 16, 2012 at 8:11 PM

Well seen and wonderfully captured Nate-suburb image, congrats.

Registered on August 12, 2009, 544 Posts, 2414 Comments

Comment posted by Charlie VanTassel on March 17, 2012 at 1:08 AM

An intersting side note, Nate.... Yesterday a friend of mine told me that he saw one of the Snowy Owls at Ocean Shores feeding on a juvenile Peregrine Falcon.... This could be the last photo of this bird. Neat shot to remember him by.

Registered on October 18, 2006, 644 Posts, 4801 Comments

Comment posted by May Haga on March 27, 2012 at 1:20 PM

Killer shot Nate. Love the way the perch and bird work together.
May

Registered on February 22, 2007, 714 Posts, 8470 Comments