Golden Eagles fighting

[Brutus Ostling]

I was lucky this Winter, getting three young Golden Eagles fighting in a sequence. The whole fight took 3-4 seconds, but as I have a whole hide for myself I could sit with three lenses in three different holes at the same time. One was 840 mm (600 + 1,4 conv.), one was 300/2,8 and I was lucky enough to just have moved to the third hole with the zoom lens 70-200/2,8 - I saw one young Eagle on the ground and two others in different trees, and I just hoped and then they came. If I had been sitting by the 600 mm I wouldn't hve got this.

I would have liked to have this sequence in my Golden and White-tailed Eagle book last year, but the photos will probably be used in my next book.

What the young Golden Eagles did was to decide the picking line, they nearly never touched each other with the claws, but they showed each other who should be first etcetera.

To photograph Golden Eagles you have to sit in the hide for days, from before light to after the last light usually. I have spent three or four months in ten different hides, and when you get something like this, also with the addition of some snow storm, well then that week in the hide was saved. Shutter speed was 1/125, I have made copies up to 8 feet on canvas and it worked.

Canon EOS 1 D Mark III, 70-200/2,8, probably 2/3 or one step stopped down or something like that, that is to have them secured, because they move back and forward during those 3-4 seconds. I have warmed the photo up, it was more blueish.

[Steve Maxson]

Amazing action, Brutus. I like the way the birds are framed between the pine in the left and the snag on the right. The blowing snow really adds to the wintery feel.

[Gayle Clement]

I love the action and the blowing snow. The heads are sharp and the blurred wings show the action. Wonderful!

[Robert O'Toole]

The lighting the action the snow and the trees in the BG are excellent, I love this type of image, especially the sharp heads.

I have been lucky to sit down and read through your book at Arties house, its very good! For those who have not seen the book I recommend it :)

Robert

[Doug Brown]

Excellent work Brutus! It takes dedication to get a photo like that. Congrats!

[Steve Wheeler]

Brutus... I've only just tonight found your work.

I'm now a fan. Amazing images all...

This is WAY over the top.

I truly admire your dedication as well as the results.

Steve

[Jay Tan]

Superb image! Those blurred wings and flying snow really add to the sense of motion and mood. Environmental elements like the trees, bare branch and snow-covered ground are excellent too!

[Scott Bluekens]

This photo shows great action and pure power. Excellent.

[Brutus Ostling]

Hi Robert,

as I said, very nice meeting you in Tampa with James and Blake. Nice to hear your words about he book. I guess it's the Eagle book you saw, it wll be published in English this autumn (in the UK under the title: 'The Kingdom of the Eagle' - probably not in US because you have the Bald Eagle while half he book is about it's twin, the White-tailed Sea-Eagle, which we have in Europe).

Hope meeting you again in Florida. It was so nice being back there (I started bird photography there eight years ago), a good temperature (not working all the time freezing), close-by-restaurants and so easy photographed birds compared to Europe. And nice birds too.

Greetings

Brutus

When I made my first book three years ago, "Between the Wingtips" all the North American photos were still slides, it was a real difference returning now in April and working with digital - so much easier when it comes to action - I believe there was one action shot from US i 'Between... " - it was shot with my first digital camera. I should have listened to Artie and others in US, I was sceptical to digital much too long. A fool.


ghting the action the snow and the trees in the BG are excellent, I love this type of image, especially the sharp heads.

I have been lucky to sit down and read through your book at Arties house, its very good! For those who have not seen the book I recommend it :)

Robert[/QUOTE]

[Juan Aragonés]

Excelent image Brutus and fantastic work to obtain it. First class all around. The BG is very good and the action is what all of us dream about. The falling snow flakes adds a lot of the drama in the scene. I will try to get a copy of your book because goldens are one of my passions! BTW I responded to the request of information you made about the squacco herons in Doñana (see the post in the European forum) Hope you see the post

Juan

[Ed Erkes]

Amazing Image!!!! Composition is superb, with the eagles framed by the tree on each side.

[Raymond Barlow]

Incredible shot Brutus, the action has been captured in a truley remarkable manner, the scene is spectaculer.

Just curious, looking back, would you have prefered a higher shutter speed, or is this exactly what you were wanting?

[Brutus Ostling]

Incredible shot Brutus, the action has been captured in a truley remarkable manner, the scene is spectaculer.

Just curious, looking back, would you have prefered a higher shutter speed, or is this exactly what you were wanting?

Post festum, I would probably have chosen 1/160 instead of 1/125, I was working with slower shutterspeeds, but don't recall how this happened. I remember I had just changed to this lens from the one with 840 mm, I wanted snow like small lines instead of drops, but I don't remember so much more. In these situations - you may have a couple of seconds for a fight - you work on instinct - hopefully that one is based on experience.

[Raymond Barlow]

Well, good instincts come from lots of experiance., I count on mine every day., I think the lower ss gives this image some fantastic artistic value., thanks for your comments.

[Jan Bleil]

WOW! Very impressive picure of one of beautiful eagles!