Bald Eagle

Gallery: AvianPosted January 25, 2010455 views31 comments

This is the same fourth year bird you may have seen in Mia's post on 12-25-09, taken as it was approaching it's landing on the post you see in her image. The eagle's apparent intent was to chase off a kestrel that had landed on it's perch. I struggled with rotation on this one as some of the vertical reflection lines don't seem to agree with each other. The OOF blob by the wing tip is a coot on the water that I chose to leave in. The light gray, slightly curving line at upper right is shoreline ice.

7D. 1/1000. f/8, ISO 500, 500 f/4, 1.4 tc, shot from pickup window, cropped to approx 65% of original image (had to estimate this time, forgot to keep track during processing), not baited

Comments/critique appreciated

Comments

31 comments

Comment posted by Nick Saunders on January 25, 2010 at 2:39 PM

I have no idea how you get an Eagle to approach you like that. They are so flighty here that you don't get a chance.The eye contact here is amazing

Registered on February 6, 2008, 321 Posts, 3035 Comments

Comment posted by Monica Siri on January 25, 2010 at 3:31 PM

Just killer! Looking at this image I understand the fear that a pray feels.

Registered on September 20, 2009, 132 Posts, 3764 Comments

Comment posted by Mitch Erwin on January 25, 2010 at 3:31 PM

Ron, do not be too hard on yourself here with the BG. That head on view with the stare of the eagle just draws you in and keeps you there! What BG issues? Wonderful detail all around on this!

Registered on April 24, 2006, 98 Posts, 656 Comments

Comment posted by Max Waugh on January 25, 2010 at 3:34 PM

Like Nick I have to give kudos on the great angle, and aside from the coot interference I'd have no complaints about the background. The subtle vertical lines work quite well with this composition, IMO.

Max

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

Comment posted by Neil Rossmiller on January 25, 2010 at 3:38 PM

Hi Ron,
You are making life tough here at the ski resort.
Great shot!

Neil

Registered on October 30, 2009, 156 Posts, 749 Comments

Comment posted by Simon Bennett on January 25, 2010 at 3:52 PM

I bet you were glad you weren't a fish Ron. Excelllent work

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

Comment posted by Ron Bielefeld on January 25, 2010 at 4:23 PM

Ron, another stellar shot. I love these head on type images of birds in flight and a bald eagle is a super subject for such a shot. I love the BG and the sharpness of the bird and the bird's stare are awesome. A riviting shot worthy of hanging. Well done, sir.

Registered on December 6, 2008, 360 Posts, 7132 Comments

Comment posted by Nancy Elwood on January 25, 2010 at 5:00 PM

Ron, Ron B rather said it all! Superb!!! I would get it printed on canvas real big!

Registered on January 15, 2010, 101 Posts, 396 Comments

Comment posted by Jim DeWitt on January 25, 2010 at 5:20 PM

Perfect techs on an unusual shot. Excellent. I am strongly minded of a t-shirt I got from Alaska Bird Observatory, with a hawk owl flying straight at you and the slogan, "Carpe Praedum" - roughly, "Seize the Prey."

Registered on August 28, 2006, 1240 Posts, 8506 Comments

Comment posted by Rob Drummond on January 25, 2010 at 5:28 PM

Great detail and comp Ron. Usually not a fan of cloning but I would be tempted to remove the coot as it disrupts the pattern of that unique background

cheers
Rob

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

Comment posted by Laura Stafford on January 25, 2010 at 6:03 PM

This is an amazing shot. Eagles are so fascinating. I love how it looks as though he is flying right towards me.

Laura Stafford

Registered on November 3, 2009, 52 Posts, 375 Comments

Comment posted by Jimmie Fata on January 25, 2010 at 6:44 PM

Great symetry Ron!

Registered on December 27, 2009, 14 Posts, 55 Comments

Comment posted by Bill Leggett on January 25, 2010 at 7:01 PM

A very interesting and different shot, Ron. Would be curious to see the full frame.

Registered on July 21, 2004, 706 Posts, 3233 Comments

Comment posted by Ken Archer on January 25, 2010 at 7:18 PM

Supe Cool flight shot Ron!!!

Ken Archer

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

Comment posted by Dan Walters on January 25, 2010 at 7:19 PM

Great head-on image. Very sharp and I like the pano crop.

Registered on October 30, 2005, 405 Posts, 3693 Comments

Comment posted by Ron Dudley on January 25, 2010 at 7:21 PM

Bill Leggett said: " Would be curious to see the full frame."

Here it is Bill, full frame. All I've done is globally sharpen.

Registered on March 30, 2007, 437 Posts, 10915 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Ditch on January 25, 2010 at 8:00 PM

Great eye contact - nothing else matters in this fine image.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 1031 Posts, 12705 Comments

Comment posted by Mia McPherson on January 25, 2010 at 8:06 PM

Ron,

This image turned out perfectly, the head on approach the eagle gave us was amazing. The eagle looks so intent on the perch, the details are wonderful as is the sharpness. I love the pano crop too. The oof coot doesn't draw my eyes away from the subject at all.

I'm really very glad you posted this, it is excellent!

Registered on June 25, 2007, 491 Posts, 12566 Comments

Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on January 25, 2010 at 8:09 PM

Very cool - don't worry about the BG - the stare and detail far outweight the BG.
I would, however, get rid of the blob. It adds nothing, and detracts a bit, for me.
Sandy r

Registered on November 24, 2003, 3937 Posts, 12909 Comments

Comment posted by Ed Dubois on January 25, 2010 at 8:22 PM

I think you did it right Ron!

Registered on February 22, 2005, 129 Posts, 4739 Comments

Comment posted by Nick Bristol on January 25, 2010 at 8:44 PM

Excellent Ron!

Registered on February 1, 2004, 752 Posts, 14140 Comments

Comment posted by Cheryl Molennor on January 25, 2010 at 9:11 PM

That is just too cool Ron. I think it's perfect

Registered on June 30, 2009, 300 Posts, 5051 Comments

Comment posted by Luke Ormand on January 25, 2010 at 10:18 PM

I can only imagine having an experience like this - either Utah is a great place for raptors, or you are one heckuva birder.

Registered on February 4, 2009, 1093 Posts, 7035 Comments

Comment posted by Graham Brown on January 26, 2010 at 7:01 AM

An excellent full frontal Ron, he looks as though he's got his eyes fixed on you in the larger version.From this perspective it makes you wonder why they need such large wings for the size of body. The composition works very well and the detail is excellent but I personnally would get rid of that coot. Graham

Registered on November 20, 2007, 275 Posts, 1365 Comments

Comment posted by KC Choo on January 26, 2010 at 9:30 AM

Fantastic capture, Ron! Somehow, I like the full-frame picture of this, almost prefer it.

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

Comment posted by Nate Chappell on January 26, 2010 at 10:27 AM

That´s awfully cool Ron

I like your pano comp as well.

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

Comment posted by Giorgio Gregori on January 26, 2010 at 4:32 PM

Hi Ron,
what a beauty.
It's so rare they take the right direction...
I like a lot the eye contact,even if a little worrying

Giorgio

Registered on November 16, 2007, 87 Posts, 793 Comments

Comment posted by mark cillo on January 26, 2010 at 8:50 PM

This is awesome!!!

Registered on July 27, 2008, 143 Posts, 1483 Comments

Comment posted by Jim Hackley on January 26, 2010 at 11:51 PM

Amazing shot, that is an angle you do not see everyday, great job. Looks like he is coming right into your pickup window, way to go.

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

Comment posted by Charlie VanTassel on January 27, 2010 at 7:18 AM

Hi Ron, I agree with Kwan. I like the full frame version too. The blob doesn't bug me and I know it would bug you if I told you to remove it.

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

Comment posted by Dennis Plank on January 27, 2010 at 12:20 PM

Fantastic angle, Ron. Makes me flinch just to open it.

Registered on January 28, 2008, 1767 Posts, 23192 Comments