Determination with Astonishing Speed

This is one of my first bird in flight shots and the very first image I have

submitted for critique to this forum. I'm wondering if the wing motion

adds or detracts on this shot, and of course any other comments you

may have. I have become very interested in birds in flight photography.

Thank you so much for taking the time to view.

You raise a good question and at the end of the day it may come down to a matter of personal preference. For me it detracts for the following two reasons. First if you could have gotten more sharpness and clarity and catch light on the eye then I think the motion would set off the eye. Second, to me, the motion of the wings is best referenced to something that is stationary to anchor the motion. Think of a stream of running water where motion of the water is blurred due to a slow shutter speed, you have the stream banks and trees to tie the motion to.

Hi Phil,

Motion is best shown by blur of the body (exposure) or blur from the background (using a panning  motion to keep the bird stationary).

However, using F/8 is going in the wrong direction, unless you like "softer images" due to the lens performance being reduced by such f-stops.

You have a very good lens, use it at F/4 (wide open). The DOF does not matter due to the distance involved and the focal length used.

Had you set the ISO to 100, at F/4, the elements in focus would have been optimized, and the motion would still be the same as the 1/320 sec would remain the same.

Best Regards,  Mike

Dave,

Thank you so much for taking the time to give comments.  I understand what you are saying about the eye visibility.  I have heard that commented on in several other comments I have seen about other photos.  And I also understand the motion issue.  Your comments really help.  Thanks again!

Mike,

Thank you so much for stopping by to give your thoughts.  I understand what you are saying about depth of field.  I usually try to shoot at 1/1250 to 1/2000 now.  I am a BIG fan of yours and your in-depth explanations related to the photos you submit for critique.  I especially like your astrophotography submittals.  Thanks again for your comments!

What more could you ask for with this shot. The head is in focus and that's all you need. You must have a very steady technique to get a shot like this at 320 s. Well done Phil!

Thanks Robert!  I appreciate your remarks.  I saw a forum where Art Morris said the same thing about a shot he had just taken, that he was just looking for the head in focus.  I guess the appreciation depends on the individual.  Best regards