Juvenile Bald Eagle

[Jamie Douglas]

Taken December 2009 out at Harrison, BC. The Bald Eagles migrate here during the winter months and getting down to the river beds of the Fraser River can be very rewarding. Be Prepared for mud over your ankles and the smell of rotting salmon though.

Techs...

Shooting Date/Time 19/12/2009 1:55:43 PM
Camera Model Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL XTi
Lens EF70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM +2.0 x Mark II Teleconvertor (Tripod mounted)

Tv( Shutter Speed ) 1/250
Av( Aperture Value ) 8.0
ISO Speed 400
Focal Length 400.0mm
Exposure Compensation +2/3
Metering Mode Evaluative Metering
AF Mode AI Servo AF

Thanks

Jamie

[Alfred Forns]

Excellent Jamie I like the low angle, good (excellent) shadow detail Don't think you could have made a better image from your position and like the PS work !!! Solid !!!

[Lance Peters]

Hi Jamie - no major wishes for me - some may have a issue with the blue band of river in the BG - I like it - shows the habitat - nice catchlight in the eye and exposure looks good.
Big Congrats :)

[Ann Fiske]

Hi Jamie,
Like this a lot, too. Great details in the bird and agree with Lance on the enviornment. Wish I could get one this good.:D

ann

[Dave Leroy]

I really like the nice sharp details and colours of the eagle.

It looks like a bit of ice directly in front of eagle.

I might clone out that little bright spot in urc.

Very nice shooting angle.

[Dave Mills]

Hi Jamie, Good exposure,detail and position of the bird. For my taste I would crop the top to just above the blue band of water. It would still show habitat but zero in more on the bird... I would also evict the small white circle on the right...

[Jamie Douglas]

Thank you all for your compliments. I was particularly happy with this shot as I went to the river on 3 seperate occasions to get this shot. Learnt a valuable lesson not to chimp when a bird like this is sat in front of you especially at F8 becasue he took off moments later after I sat there for 40 minutes with him.

I cant decide if this needs a little off the left and right as well as removing the oof seagull in urc?

Al: Always good to hear the words like excellent and solid from you, thanks.

Lance: Thanks, catch light was an added bonus I didnt register until I got home.

Ann: Persevere, I was lucky this day, on the previous days I saw more adult eagles but they dont let you get very close. The young guys are more trusting. I spent three days, about 15 hours trying to get a keeper.

Dave: I dont think it was ice but rather mud, winter was very mild as you know but jeez it was cold on that day. I remember that much.

Dave M: Thanks Dave, this was already quite a large crop and I didnt want to go any further seeing as the loss of IQ was already there from using a 2x.

Still waiting for the first pig to fly so I can get a fixed focal lens. Anyone know if Canon will be doing a 400mm 5.6 IS lens anytime soon?

[Jamie Douglas]

This is the original for those interested. RAW converted to JPEG using Canon DPP.