Bald Eagle calling

[Mike Hitchen]

Sat on an estuary this bald eagle stood on the pole for about an hour and at one point it gave a tremendous couple of calls, one the classic eagle sound and the other (captured here) the higher-pitched more twittering sound. The late afternoon backlighting just added a great backdrop

[gail bisson]

I have come back to this image a couple of times.
The comp doesn't feel right to me. I played with it a bit and i think I would like a landscape orientation moving the eagle up in the frame to reduce the amount of perch and give room on the top for the eagle to call into.
The back lighting looks great on the beak but not so much on the neck and back.
I would tone down the specular highlight behind the bird,
Gail

[Mike Hitchen]

Thank you for your comments, Gail.

The bird was about central in a landscape image so there is a bit of latitude on positioning. This is a quick re-crop where the top right is the top right of the original. Unfortunately the back and neck are blown...

[Michael Thompson]

I kind of like it, a different kind of eagle image, I can just hear it now! I agree the back lighting a bit harsh, but not awfully so. what would be cool is adding some steam rising up from the ground in the foreground and background.

[Mike Hitchen]

Thank you , Michael.
I thought the tones in the background were asking for a bit of mist - even a small squirl rising from its mouth as it called...but that is maybe going too far :w3

[Mike Poole]

Interesting shot Mike, I like seeing alternative shots to portraits. There are loads of options for this shot, both crops have things going for them. Maybe also consider darkening the BG - you lose the misty feel, but it makes the bird stand out a bit more.

Either way, its a well captured shot.

Mike