Bald Eagle take off

[Scott Dart]

Bald Eagle taking off from a log in the lake. I would have preferred to get a better angle with the light, but he didn't take direction very well :)

Canon 1D Mark III
70-200 f/2.8L IS + 1.4x TC @98mm
AI Servo
AV Mode: 1/3200, f/4.0, -1/3 EV
ISO 320

[Maxis Gamez]

Hello Scott and welcome to BPN. Please take the time to read our guidelines. as this image is much bigger.

You did a good job keeping the Eagle in the frame. However, I wish for more room on the right!

Keep them coming!

[Alfred Forns]

Hi Scott agree with your light assestment but it is what it is !!!!!

Remember the first tow rules for flight photography #1 Pan faster ... #2 Pan faster !!!!! Would add some canvas for this image which will make it look great. You did well with the exposure might tone down the head just a bit and lighten the under wing. With the MK3 you should have other poses?

When trying for an image like this one try giving yourself some room to play with since you know the bird will be larger in frame in a hurry !!! ..... remember the size limits 800 on the long side !!!!

[Scott Dart]

Sorry about the large image - my bad!

I've definitely got to work on my tracking skills to keep the subject in frame. For this shot, I was in a kayak, and the waves from a passing speedboat moved me closer to the subject than I preferred. I had the 1.4x on my 70-200 because I needed the reach initially, but for this shot I'm zoomed all the way out and still too close.

If anyone has pointers on how to add canvas to the right, I'd appreciate it. Sounds like major surgery in Photoshop that is beyond my current skill level.

I do have a few more shots right before/after this one, but I felt as though this one had he best balance of framing/action. I'll post small versions of a few of the others below - maybe others disagree on my selection? I find often times that half the battle is choosing which shot to select as the 'best'

(first shot in the sequence)

(second shot in the sequence - immediately preceding the original image)

(right after the original image)

(last shot in the series)

(larger sizes can be seen in my flickr photostream: http://www.flickr.com/photos/scott_dart/)

Most of these have the wings clipped to some degree.I've heard that there are techniques to repair this, but again, I feel as though this is out of my league in photoshop (although I'd love to learn!)

[Maxis Gamez]

Hi Scott,

You can buy Robert's O'toole Quick Mask techniques

The PDF file will explain how to recover the wings!

Good luck!

[Axel Hildebrandt]

Great find, setting and dynamic mood. I agree that it would look even better if the underside of the eagle's right wing were visible.

[Judy Lynn Malloch]

Big welcome Scott and congratulations on the wonderful action you captured in this image. The above suggestions have covered it all but I look forward to seeing your future posts. Many thanks for sharing.

[david cramer]

Dramatic series, Scott. I agree on working a bit more on the shadows/highlights. I also second Robert O'Toole's Quik Mask CD, which I just purchased. You'll fix that clipped wing in no time.

[Scott Dart]

I just placed my order for the APTATS CD - maybe I'll become a photoshop surgeon after all!