Osprey flying overhead

[Lisa Stinnett]

Osprey was flying directly over me on a sunny mid afternoon. Canon EOS 7D, 400mm f/5.6 prime lens shot at f/5.6, ISO 200 and shutter speed 1/1600. Cropped and used auto smart fix in Photoshop...

[Diane Miller]

Hi Lisa, it looks like this is your first post here -- welcome!

Providing information about camera and processing helps people give critiques, which you have done, but with a slight inaccuracy. Auto Smart Fix is not in Photoshop, it is in Photoshop Elements, which has very different capabilities. Most people aren't good at remembering what software anyone is using so it's good in the future to add the word Elements, so it's clear where you are coming from.

The next question is, was this a RAW capture or a JPEG? I don't use Elements so I don't know if Auto smart Fix works on a RAW or just a JPEG. If it was a RAW you have better adjustment capabilities and leeway in the RAW converter. That might have allowed you to bring out even more detail in the bird and hold the sky down a little. A bird shot against a bright sky is a very difficult subject to work with.

In terms of shooting, it's great to get an Osprey with a fish, but better if it's coming toward you. (I know -- much easier to say than to arrange!)

I'm sure others will have comments here and we look forward to seeing more from you.

My attention is a little fragmented with travel for the rest of the month, but if you haven't done so, go to the Introductions forum and introduce yourself.

[Marina Scarr]

Welcome to BPN and congrats on your first pose. Super critique by Diane. This is actually an interesting perspective but the light was pretty high. It helps to try to photograph in the early morning and late afternoon light whenever possible. Looking forward to seeing more of your posts.

[Sandy Witvoet]

Hi Lisa! It's always so exciting to see and be able to photograph an Osprey! ... especially when he has a great "catch" in his talons! I think that if you were about only one second quicker (e.g., Osprey to the left of you, it would have been awesome... I am also a PSE user .... one thing I've found with it is that sometimes, (well, once in awhile) Auto Correct is GREAT ... I have often tried it on BIFs... Auto always makes both the sky and the bird look weird. Try working a bit with Image/Enhancement... you can pick and choose how you would like it to look. The computer program is trying to average "stuff"... but just doesn't have the "eye" that people do! A smaller crop may help too. Nice going on the capture!