There is a cruise on the Genoa River departing from Gypsy Point (Victoria, Australia) where the captain feeds fish to the birds. This photo taken when the Whistling Kite (smaller bird, above) did not appreciate the gluttony of the White-bellied Sea-Eagle. A spectacular aerial battle ensued.
It was difficult to get the right balance between ISO and shutter speed. I wanted f/8 in order to get good sharpness on both birds. The processing was also a challenge as the image was exposed well to the right (washed out) and I found the noise difficult to control. It may need more NR but I feel this gave a plastic look to the birds.
Thanks for looking.
Nikon D800E, TC-1.4E II, 70-200 f/2.8 VRII at 280mm, in-camera DX crop, HH
0 EV, ISO 1600, 1/2000 sec at f/8
LR5, PS CC 2014, 16x9 vertical crop, lightened irises & darkened pupils, Topaz Clarity
I think this makes a great high-key image with the blown out background. The birds are making awesome eye contact, and the Kite has a great aggressive pose. I feel the Kite is sitting too tight to the top. Maybe a little more space can be added above, otherwise I like the vertical crop you gave this image. You could try adding a curve adjustment to improve contrast.
Aerial Battle
