Meal Time

[Kim Rollins]

This eagle is eating a jackrabbit and had just torn a hunk off and tossed it up to swallow. The eagle was sitting on a power pole and that and power lines were not pleasing to my eye but this is something I have learned to except here in the OR High Desert as that is a normal perch for them (no big trees, etc.)



http://upload.pbase.com/image/120614463/original.jpg

Olympus E-3 - Hard crop here to get rid of pole and lines and cloned out large power line LLHC.
Focal Length 425 mm (70-300mm Zuiko and 1.4 converter)
Exposure Time 1/1000 sec
Aperture f/8 ISO Equivalent 400
Exposure Bias +1/3 Metering Mode center weighted (2) Exposure Program aperture priority (3)

[Randy Stout]

Kim:

A dynamic moment captured here. Good job on cloning out the power lines. Very good exposure, perhaps the slightest bit hot on the whites, but nice exp. on the darks.

The image quality is really suffering from the crop. It appears pretty soft on my monitor.

Perhaps some improvement possible with a bit more selective sharpening?

It is a challenge to work with the birds in different areas. I am originally from Iowa, and my lasting image of raptors there is of them setting on either a fence post or a power pole! But, for most of us, we have to shoot where we live, and make the best of it!

Randy

[Axel Hildebrandt]

I like the screaming/swallowing behavior and light. The heavy crop shows unfortunately since there are not many fine details. I agree that it would be worth trying to sharpen the bird more.

[Kim Rollins]

:(Yes the crop did hurt

Thank you both for your critique here.

Repost with some selective sharpening

http://upload.pbase.com/image/120621219/original.jpg