Eagle-scape

[Arthur Morris]

Attracted by the backlit cliff--I actually photographed the cliff before the eagle landed--this image was created from a moving skiff with the handheld Canon 400mm f/4 IS DO lens and the EOS-50D. Evaluative metering +1/3 stop: 1/2000 sec. at f/4.

Don't be shy; all comments welcome.

[Jackie Schuknecht]

I really like this a lot with the rim lighting on the grass and the eagle looking out over the cliff. I like the placement of the eagle in the frame and all the beautiful colours in the rocks. I find it a very majestic picture. Very nice Artie IMO.

[Robert Amoruso]

I like the composition of the image Artie with the "S" curve of the ridge but find myself wishing to see more detail in the rock face. I reposted using a USM Local Contrast Enhancement set at 20/50/0 which I am sure you know but for those that do not, it is a great way to cut through haze.

As the LCE blocked up the shadows along the ridge and eagle, I did a shadows/highlights adjustment in PS and masked out everything except the ridge line, grass and eagle.

Crop is an afterthought to see if it works. I am good with the original crop.

[Arthur Morris]

Thanks Jackie and Robert. Robert, love the work on the cliff, the grasses are a little too contrasty for me. Love the crop also. It was already cropped but lots of pixels in the optimized master file.

[Robert Amoruso]

Agree on the contrast on the grass. Better workflow would have been to mask out the ridge and upper BG. THe rocks where what I was mostly interested in bringing out.

This time USM LCE at 25/50/0 and then masked out the ridge line up. Just the rocks got it. Better then my first try. Did note crop this one but glad you liked it. I think after going back and forth, the cropped version is my favorite.

[Arthur Morris]

Thanks Robert. I will go back and rework the master file.

[Mike Fuhr]

Interesting shot. Did you try a pano crop by removing some off the bottom?? You can keep enough of the interesting rock face but draw more attention to the eagle...

[Arthur Morris]

Interesting shot. Did you try a pano crop by removing some off the bottom?? You can keep enough of the interesting rock face but draw more attention to the eagle...

If I did go to a pano crop I would start at the top.

[Richard Lovison]

If I did go to a pano crop I would start at the top.

Beautiful image Arthur. I like the soft feel of the original.

I find the top (tree line?) as interesting as the rock face. Personally I would crop some off the right and bottom if I was going for a pano.

[Roman Kurywczak]

Hi Artie,
I like the colors of the cliff face in Robert's 1st re-post and I do feel adding a touch of contrast to the top will also work. I may be with Richard and Mike on the bottom crop.....I did the old browser crop, scroll till you just eliminate lowest horizontal crack below the eagle....then I like the balance with the larger top (OK......maybe just a bit off the top). Nice option to have on the different crops and I do like the strong rim lighting. Glad to see the eagle cooperated too and you composed it with him in a nice position in the frame.

[Paul Marcellini]

A different type of Landscape but very nice. I like Robert's crop and last post on the rocks. The elements really work well for a graphic image.