Osprey with a fish -- parked!

[Diane Miller]

They usually prefer utility poles for dining tables. I was very surprised when this guy landed in this tree near the nest. This was about 3 weeks ago and they were still feeding growing kids. I was even more surprised when he sat still while I slowly moved to get a different angle on the branch that sticks out to the right. Initially I was to my right and the branch was in front of his body, but the front of the fish was more visible.

Canon 7D2, 100-400 II at 400. ISO 800, f/5.6, 1/2500, hand held. M exposure. Minimal tonal work in LR and into PS to composite a darker exposure for the brightest feathers.

I'm undecided about the OOF leaves in the LR -- they balance the bird and give a little context. Easily removable but it looks a little sterile without them. Cropped from the top and L to about 50% of original frame.

I have another version with more of the tree but didn't get a direct look again. Could easily do a composite. (A good argument for M exposure.)

[Sanjeev Aurangabadkar]

Hi Dianne, I like the down the barrel stare, the fish adds so much and I don't mind the OOF leaves on the RHS. Nice positioning of the osprey in the frame.
TFS.

[Michael Hansen]

Love it, Diane!

And thanks a ton for the explanation of what you did and didn't do (and why) and what was and is going through your mind. This gives me a place to start when I start googling topics, or looking them up in the index of a Photoshop book. :) Huge help! Take care!


Mike

[gail bisson]

Nice stare. Angle is very steep unfortunately.
Fish and the way it is curved adds a lot to the picture.
I would crop this even tighter.I might try cropping from the bottom and right to see if that would trick the eye into thinking the bird was lower to the ground.
The blue sky is quite sterile as you say so cropping this tightly would focus the eye straight to the osprey.
Would you consider cloning out the long branch on the right?
Gail

[keith mitchell]

Does not look like the most comfortable place to eat your meal, very much like the fixed stare and the fish is a real bonus.

Keith.

[Diane Miller]

Thanks, everyone! Here's a version including more of the tree, although it is a composite.

154147

I rarely need to have an objection to cloning. The branch is a little awkward but seemed to offer some balance to the bird. Here it is pruned. Wish I could get a lower angle but the tree is 50 ft taller than I am, and I'm shooting up at about 45 degrees. I'd have to move very far away to change the angle significantly.

154150