Red-Tailed Hawk - Shooting 1820 mm

[PrescottPhotog]

Hi Everyone,

I tried something the other day that I had never done before. I took my 500mm and stacked the 2.0 plus the 1.4 extender (together) on my Mark III to shoot the equivalent of 1820 mm. These shots were shot from the same position as I have been shooting the Red-Tail Nest.. see here, http://www.webblinks.com/postings/rt_sm_3/rt_1.jpg

The head shot is cropped from a full size image @ 100%. The body shots have been reduced from about 2700 pixels wide to 1000 wide (about 37% of full size) Just an experiment but they came out pretty good (IMO).

#1
http://www.webblinks.com/postings/sm_rt_6/rt_1.jpg
#2
http://www.webblinks.com/postings/sm_rt_6/rt_2.jpg
#3
http://www.webblinks.com/postings/misc/rt_stacked.jpg
#4
http://www.webblinks.com/postings/sm_rt_6/rt_4.jpg

Hope you aren't getting tired of Red-Tailed Hawks.

[jonh68]

Not tired at all!:clap

[Dogdots]

I like the first photo....the twig poking thru the tail feathers :D

[PrescottPhotog]

Not tired at all!:clap

Hi Jon, Thanks for your comments. I got some great shots of the little guy that I will post as soon as one of my other posts goes off the first page.

He (or she) is getting around much better and exploring the nest. Today it stuck right by mom most of the time I was out there being much more inquisitive. It is already getting it wing feathers (the quills are showing) but it is still falling over its own feet. I will probably post them tomorrow.

[PrescottPhotog]

I like the first photo....the twig poking thru the tail feathers :D

Opps.. I posted the wrong photo, had one with that cloned out. Thanks for pointing that out..

Thanks for viewing and for your compliment.

[Maestro]

For stacking all those TCs you still captured some wonderful detail. Awesome! :thumb

[dbaker1221]

That worked out pretty well Chris:ivar :clap good job:thumb

[Jim T]

Looks like it worked out pretty well.:thumb I never get tired of raptors.

[Dogdots]

Opps.. I posted the wrong photo, had one with that cloned out. Thanks for pointing that out..

Thanks for viewing and for your compliment.

Oh no...keep the twig in. Looks natural. Shows that the smaller twigs aren't a hindrance to the animal.

I haven't gotten a photo of a Red Tail baby, but did get a few of an adult eating. At least I think it was an adult. Lucky for me it let me sit right below him and shot away.

Now I'm onto a Bald Eagle's nest with the little babies/baby :scratch

Can't wait to see your other photos.

[PrescottPhotog]

For stacking all those TCs you still captured some wonderful detail. Awesome! :thumb

Hi Stephen. I am absolutely amazed at the detail considering I almost sold my 2X extender before Canon came out with Live View. I could never get a good shot using the viewfinder (old eyes) so most distance shots were soft of OOF.

[PrescottPhotog]

That worked out pretty well Chris:ivar :clap good job:thumb

Hi Dave.. Yeah, who needs an 800 mm ($12,000.00) lens huh when you can buy a $250.00 extender..:rofl :rofl
Since the extenders are stacked and the camera doesn't recognize one of them I can still shoot at f/8, the same as just the 2X alone. I posted them because I was really amazed with the photos and details this combo produced in case others were hesitant to try it.
Now I know what it is like to have eyes like a Raptor.

[PrescottPhotog]

Looks like it worked out pretty well.:thumb I never get tired of raptors.

Hi Jim.. I know what you mean, any size or shape works for me.
I always look forward to the raptor posts on D-Grin, some of the best on the net.

[Ric Grupe]

Your patience and ingenuity are paying off!

Now I know why they call them redtails. :clap

[PrescottPhotog]

Now I'm onto a Bald Eagle's nest with the little babies/baby :scratch Can't wait to see your other photos.

Hi, I look forward to your eagle shots, hope you get some good ones.

Our eagles nest is in a closed off section of the Prescott National Forest (only when the eagles are there) with threats of jail and $6,000.00 fines if you violate the closure even though it isn't on the endangered species list any more.

I wanted to document our baby eagles the same way as the RT's this year but our local Forest Service led me on for 6 months (with lots of promises) and then totally stabbed me in the back. I offered them my time (for free), my equipment (for free), and also offered to buy, out of my own pocket (if needed), a new 600mm lens ($7200.00).. plus, offering to give them all the credit for the photos wasn't enough of a guarantee, they shot it down because, I quote, "We are concerned you might take and sell one of the photos". And then they had the nerve to ask me to do other projects for them (for free of course).

One ranger actually told me that they thought it was to soon for the eagles to have their pictures taken after being removed from the ES list (like they had been in therapy).
Another ranger accused my Osprey and Bass photo http://www.webblinks.com/postings/misc/osprey.jpg of being created in Photoshop because "nobody could take a photo like that" (she wasn't teasing). I offered to show her the original RAW file.
Can you tell I don't have much respect for them after trying to do things by "their" book. (sorry for the rant).

[Ric Grupe]

Another ranger accused my Osprey and Bass photo of being Photoshop'd

Obviously! :barb :wink:D

[PrescottPhotog]

Obviously! :barb :wink:D

This is what it's like trying to do something by the book with the government..:s85

[Dogdots]

Hi, I look forward to your eagle shots, hope you get some good ones.

Our eagles nest is in a closed off section of the Prescott National Forest (only when the eagles are there) with threats of jail and $6,000.00 fines if you violate the closure even though it isn't on the endangered species list any more.

I wanted to document our baby eagles the same way as the RT's this year but our local Forest Service led me on for 6 months (with lots of promises) and then totally stabbed me in the back. I offered them my time (for free), my equipment (for free), and also offered to buy, out of my own pocket (if needed), a new 600mm lens ($7200.00).. plus, offering to give them all the credit for the photos wasn't enough of a guarantee, they shot it down because, I quote, "We are concerned you might take and sell one of the photos". And then they had the nerve to ask me to do other projects for them (for free of course).

One ranger actually told me that they thought it was to soon for the eagles to have their pictures taken after being removed from the ES list (like they had been in therapy).
Another ranger accused my Osprey and Bass photo http://www.webblinks.com/postings/misc/osprey.jpg of being created in Photoshop because "nobody could take a photo like that" (she wasn't teasing). I offered to show her the original RAW file.
Can you tell I don't have much respect for them after trying to do things by "their" book. (sorry for the rant).

Bummer the nest is on National Forest land. They do get touchy don't they. I ran into that during the spring migration of snow geese. They have their rules, but don't understand that a photographer...at least a good one....won't disturb the birds and do what is right. We want to protect our photographic opportunities.

I should post some of my Hawk photos on here....aren't as good as yours, but I do have one that is cool. No PP either :D I wouldn't even know how to do it :rofl Yours was awesome with the fish :thumb

Oh...the Eagles nest I go to is close to a gravel road. You'd be loving it with your lens. I will post some of those in the coming weeks.

[Giphsub]

Chris that is just phenomenal with that stack! Awesome :clap

[PrescottPhotog]

I should post some of my Hawk photos on here....aren't as good as yours, but I do have one that is cool. No PP either :D I wouldn't even know how to do it :rofl Yours was awesome with the fish :thumb

Oh...the Eagles nest I go to is close to a gravel road. You'd be loving it with your lens. I will post some of those in the coming weeks.

For sure post your photos.

No contests going on here, just everyone that enjoys photography and a chance to learn from others.. as I have from many of the great photos I view on D-Grin.
I have been in heaven for the last few months as all the migratory birds passed through but that is ending rapidly. As any of the long time posters know the summers in Arizona don't leave much to photo, all the birds move up your way, so I just take pictures of the wayward ducks that didn't know enough to leave the heat..:rofl :rofl

Last winter I was driving everyone crazy with all the Harrier, Rough-legged, Kestrels and other variety of hawks that were here. I couldn't go out in the field without seeing 20 or 30 within shooting distance.. I haven't seen a Harrier or Osprey in over 3 months. Thank goodness for this pair of Red-Tails that decided to nest close by.

It is about to become a very long, hot and dry (as in birds) summer in the high country of Arizona.

[PrescottPhotog]

Chris that is just phenomenal with that stack! Awesome :clap

Thanks Mike.. it surprised the heck out of me too. I was like.. Whoa, what did I just do..:rofl
I guess you can learn something new every day huh:ivar

[Cuong]

This is what it's like trying to do something by the book with the government..

Chris, those people are bigger losers than they know it. Government or private, it's the people that we've to deal with. That's unfortunate in this case that you have to put up with those who are distrustful and ignorant.

Cuong