Return to the Roost

[Ken Lassman]

Blue Cypress Lake, FL

Just after sunrise on Blue Cypress Lake....I know that there have been a lot of postings of the Ospreys from this location...for those of us that have been there...I guess we can't help ourselves. I hope I am forgiven for posting another one. The experience is really not to be believed. Hundreds of Ospreys nesting....and now feeding their chicks....and they will fledge shortly...so there will be more! Great place to be with a camera...and almost not being able to decide which way to turn to capture one of the multiple flight shots.
Some additional information about the lake..It is 2 miles in circumference and known for fishing for large mouth Bass. Thirteen months ago the lake was stocked with 85,000 four inch long Bass...of which they know that 35% will survive.
Pure mathematics- Ospreys eat fish + a lake loaded with fish = Osprey Heaven at Blue Cypress Lake

Nikon D300
Nikon 75-300 @ 210mm
ISO 400
F.5.6 @ 1/1250
Manual, Hand Held, Standing in Pontoon Boat (calm water, no wind...sorry guys...should have been with me)

[Alfred Forns]

... Ken the ones that did not survive went to a good cause :)

Can't get tired of these birds and continue posting !! Did well with exposure just need to tweak in PS for processing, would like seeing the under wings a bit lighter. Crop wise would like seeing a little more nest !! btw I have been trying a slightly higher ISO for more shutter speed, trying to get to 1/2500 if possible !! Another keeper and posting quality looks good !!!

[Dave Mills]

Hi Ken, Very good comments by Al. I might add that you can kick a D300 up to 800 ISO and see very little noise which can improve your speed somewhat. After 800 noise will gradually appear.

[Jeff Cashdollar]

Ken,

Another keeper, a tad tight for me maybe more nest to the right & deeper IMO. Nice capture angle and at 210MM you were close (love the boat thing) - really nice.

[Fabs Forns]

Good pose, Ken. The face needs to be lightened a bit and there is some green chromatic aberration on the right wing, that can be minimized in Adobe Camera Raw at conversion. You need to do this @ 100%.

[Tom Graham]

Fabs - green CA, on bird's right wing? For my edification, could you please pin point it more for me?
Tom

[Lance Peters]

Hi ken - have been enjoying these - lots of opportunities to practise is always a great thing.
Lightening the face as mentioned by FABS would improve.
TFS

[Harold Davis]

as mentioned, just a little more Ps work. your in camera work seems really good. loving the pose!

[Fabs Forns]

Fabs - green CA, on bird's right wing? For my edification, could you please pin point it more for me?
Tom

If you look around the wing tips, there's a green halo. It is caused by the lens, in some lighting situations and it is known as chromatic aberrations. They come in green, magenta, yellow or blue, with green and blue being the most common. There's a tab in ACR that can do a good job at minimizing this.

[Tom Graham]

Thanks Fabs - I took it into PS and this is screen grab of its enlarged right wing tip. Left wing tip looks same to me. I don't see much but that's ok, forget it.
.

.
Tom

[Fabs Forns]

Tom, if you don't see the green halo around the wingtips, I don't know what to say.