Bald Eagle (PP help please)

[Julie Brown]

One of the eagles from the pair I posted yesterday. When the other flew off to another tree, I had time to change lenses. I am posting this with minimal processing and looking for advice on how to get the most from this image.

Canon 5D MK II, 400mm f2.8 + 2X TC (800mm), f6.3 @ 1/800sec, ISO 1000, +1 2/3 EV, pattern metering, manual exposure, monopod with gimbal head

Lightroom 2.6
about 20% crop
set black and white points

[Lance Peters]

Hi Julie - will wait to see what others say ;)

[WIlliam Maroldo]

Nothing can be done for the blurred foreground branches, which are a major problem IMO. Too bad , since you nailed the exposure, focus, and everything else. I do have a question. I might also add that if foreground elements block the subjects, it is best to get them in sharp focus as well as the subject. I'm not sure why, but the viewer may have less trouble accepting them as part of the scene, as opposed to something blurred that looks like a mistake. If you are using manual exposure what difference would pattern metering or exposure compensation make? Just wondering. regards~Bill

[Richard Waas]

Julie, tough situation with the blurred foreground branches. I would have first of all shot a vertical and zoomed in on the bird tighter. A little more room on the bottom and maybe some cloning of the branches across the main body and tail. A lot of work, but since you nailed the bird on focus and exposure, it might be worth a try. Maybe just strapping on the gear and head out for another shot would be easier. Good Luck.....

[Tom Graham]

Crop it into portrait format, darken sky some and rid it of cyan cast. If portrait crop has ome of the big branch on mid-lower left, clone it out, quick and easy.
Tom
ps - maybe something like this- (I know, some color problems with head)
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[Julie Brown]

Nothing can be done for the blurred foreground branches, which are a major problem IMO. Too bad , since you nailed the exposure, focus, and everything else. I do have a question. I might also add that if foreground elements block the subjects, it is best to get them in sharp focus as well as the subject.

Thanks, Bill. I wondered how distracting the OOF branches in front of the bird would be, since my shot of the pair of eagles that I first posted (5/22) had the branches in focus. I shot a lot of images, but chose this one for the exposure and sharpness. I must have opened up the aperture to f6.3 to compensate for the ISO and shutter speed. As for the exposure compensation-I usually have it on shutter priority for birds, so maybe the dial got moved. Did I interpret your question correctly?

Good suggestions Richard. I didn't even think to go vertical with this! The cloning job might be too much for me-but I could give it a try. I live 4 hours away from the eagles, so my next try will have to be next year!

Tom, I can't see your repost on my work computer, but I can go back and recrop, remove the color cast, and clone.

Thank you for the comments!:)