Crested Serpent Eagle #1

[Sanjeev Aurangabadkar]

Hi all, I was fortunate to visit Nagarhole Wildlife Sanctuary (In Karnataka, India) this month (My second visit to this awesome place). I did 3 safaris in a jeep & 1 boat safari and was happy to get some nice images. The forest was lush green due to pre-monsoon rains and the light in these jungles is usually challenging due to the thick canopy. This is the first image from this trip, we spotted at least a dozen Crested Serpent Eagles (I like these magnificent raptors).
Hope you like it. This was nearly full frame, had no space to the left. Hope you don't mind the slight centred placement.
1/200
f/7.1
ISO 1600
Hand held

[Greg Oakley]

Great image Sanjeev! The only slight nits for me are the leaf in front of the beak and perhaps a little more space all around, but otherwise great work

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Sanjeev, personally I find the 'foliage' competing a little with the subject, nothing you could do as this is not staged. If this is from a boat you did well, but I would have still ramped up the ISO to get a bit more SS. Adding a % Luminosity layer, adding an Exposure adjustment for the yellow beak area (dropping it) helps and gives some more depth & detail. You could also add a Curves adjustment to for the main plumage, again it helps to define the detail. If you are back in RAW I would look in dropping the Highlights & Whites on the branch, again by a selective adjustment. Perhaps a little tight for my tastes, but again I guess you have reasons in going tighter.

Reminds me of Bandhavgarh.

TFS
Steve

[Karl Egressy]

Very nice image, Sanjeev. I agree with Greg on the leaf. You might consider to clone that one leaf out.

[David Salem]

What a great looking raptor and a nice capture too. I agree on the leaf clone, but besides that, nice work.