Osprey On Nest

[Joseph Przybyla]

This is another image from our early season visit to the Osprey nest. Now is nest building. Comments and critique welcomed and appreciated. Thank you for viewing.

Nikon D500
Nikon 80-400mm F/4.5-5.6 VRII AF-S ED, image captured at 400mm
1/2000 F/5.6 Matrix Metering EV 0 ISO 900 Auto 1 WB, camera supported by a monopod
Post processed in Lightroom Classic, Photoshop CC 2020 and Neat Image for noise reduction
Cropped a little on top and left side for composition and presentation

[Krishna Prasad kotti]

I like the stare. I feel the critical focus is on the nest rather than on the birds head. I would add a little bit of contrast mask to help on the same.

TFS

[Joseph Przybyla]

I like the stare. I feel the critical focus is on the nest rather than on the birds head. I would add a little bit of contrast mask to help on the same.

TFS

Hi Krishna, thank you for viewing and commenting. I went to the master file and checked where the active focus point was. it was on the right side of the neck just under the bill. The depth of field was about seventeen inches. eight and a half inches front and back. I know the camera is not front focusing because I check the focus often with a target and ruler. I think the reason the nest may appear sharper is because of hard edges which sharpen more. Also this nest can only be photographed on a overcast day because of the location relative to the parking garage, so that would make the image have less contrast. Anyways, not sure why, thanks again for viewing.

[John Mack]

Nice framing and i like the setting. The eyes are not tack sharp. Would like to see more room on the left.

[Daniel Cadieux]

Looks like it had recently ate! Not disputing your reply to Krishna, but as posted the osprey does look softer than the nest...perhaps due to some "heat shimmer"? I say this because there is that type of look around the top of the head's contour. The eyes also do not look tack sharp. BTW, that is a great looking nest, free of most obstructions, and set against a good BG - and at eye-level no less! I'm sure we'll be seeing lots from that spot as the weeks go by .

[Krishna Prasad kotti]

Hi Krishna, thank you for viewing and commenting. I went to the master file and checked where the active focus point was. it was on the right side of the neck just under the bill. The depth of field was about seventeen inches. eight and a half inches front and back. I know the camera is not front focusing because I check the focus often with a target and ruler. I think the reason the nest may appear sharper is because of hard edges which sharpen more. Also this nest can only be photographed on a overcast day because of the location relative to the parking garage, so that would make the image have less contrast. Anyways, not sure why, thanks again for viewing.

Thanks for the info. Try adding contrast Mask in Photoshop and you will notice the difference.

Unsharp Mask --> 15,65,1

[arash_hazeghi]

nice view of the nest and I love the perfect symmetrical stare! OOF head and diagonal branch is holding this back the camera definitely did not focus on the head....it is totally OOF with a halo around it the nest is much sharper as noted above . ain't working unfortunately

TFS

[Joseph Przybyla]

Thanks everyone for viewing and commenting, much appreciated. Not sure why the bird is soft, guess I was trying to make lemonade from lemons because I loved the direct stare. Thanks again.

I had another go at the image beginning from the raw out of the camera. Wondering if it was poor post processing that made the original image soft?