This is from Flamingo in the EvergladesNational Park, in the parking lot, just as you come into the store area. Along the inlet we spotted over 2 dozen of these guy's. Most fished the inlet's then took their catch to their favorite perch and ate the fish.
This bird almost flew into our windshield, only 15 feet from us. We got out, of course, set up our tripods and began fire away. We photographed this bird for over 1 hour. He would eat then look at us, then do it again. The sun was high to out left and diagonal to us. We set up our tripods at different distances. A van of tourists stopped soon and we split while they photographed him. It was unfazed.
This is what I came away with, under the circumstances it was my best. I have never been so close like this to a live, wild osprey and while it was eating. It was incredible.
Canon EOS-1D Mark II N, Shooting Date/Time 1/27/2008 1 pm, Tv(Shutter Speed) 1/400Sec. Av(Aperture Value) F8.0, Evaluative metering, Exposure Compensation 0, ISO 400, Lens EF300mm f/2.8L IS USM, Focal Length 300.0 mm. Cropped for a 9x12. 80% of frame here.
Maybe a really tight crop is a good idea. You could even experiment with cropping a bit off the osprey's back, left and bottom. Just an idea, I'm not sure it would work well.
The face of the fish and the taons rock. A bit better head angle might have been attained... Great job of exposing for the bird.
later and love, artie
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