Results 1 to 14 of 14

Thread: An Eagle scores a duck

  1. #1
    saleeltambe
    Guest

    Default An Eagle scores a duck

    Attached Images Attached Images
     
    I recently visited India on a trip to Assam. This first image is an interesting duck hunt performed by a Pallas's Fish Eagle. The eagle was on the other side of the lake and was strategically eyeing on a Gadwall female (the yellow beak of the duck can be seen here). Within next few seconds it pounced on the duck -somewhat unbalanced and the prey tried all its best to escape....so much that the Eagle had a tough time grabbing it !
    Finally the raptor used its talons to finish the game and picked up its hunt . As the hunter came in the range of my lens, I could observe the evidences of multiple attacks on the poor prey !
    Assam area is know for stubborn fog in the morning which is a big hinderance for photography.
    Though this morning fog had a grey curtain between me and the Eagle, I hope the image is at least able to describe the moment.

    Tech:
    Canon 7D, Canon 500mm+1.4x, ISO 800, f8, 1/640, Beanbag support on a vehicle, +1/3

  2. #2
    BPN Viewer
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Location
    Blooming Grove, NY
    Posts
    263
    Threads
    17
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Dramatic, graphic capture - nature at work! Nice lighting as well. It's a bit tight for me on all sides, and I'm wondering if the IQ is suffering from a heavy crop. I would probably loosen up the frame a bit if it were mine.

    thanks
    Charles

  3. #3
    saleeltambe
    Guest

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Charles Scheffold View Post
    Dramatic, graphic capture - nature at work! Nice lighting as well. It's a bit tight for me on all sides, and I'm wondering if the IQ is suffering from a heavy crop. I would probably loosen up the frame a bit if it were mine.

    thanks
    Charles
    Thanks for your inputs Charles.
    1. I have a few frames in the sequence where the Eagle is bit away from the camera and there is some space around it. But then I felt that the attention is lost from the details of its kill - because the prey was bettered with multiple hunt attempt - trying to escape. In the loosened up frame it was looking as if it has stolen the prey instead of hunting it.
    2. The IQ that you pointed could probably be because of the heavy fog that is persitent in that area together with the ISO800.

    Obviously these are my views but I will surely consider your suggestions.
    Cheers,
    Saleel Tambe

  4. #4
    bridgena
    Guest

    Default

    The crop does not bother me - Very good shot and action - well done

  5. #5
    BPN Viewer
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Location
    Blooming Grove, NY
    Posts
    263
    Threads
    17
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by saleeltambe View Post
    Thanks for your inputs Charles.
    1. I have a few frames in the sequence where the Eagle is bit away from the camera and there is some space around it. But then I felt that the attention is lost from the details of its kill - because the prey was bettered with multiple hunt attempt - trying to escape. In the loosened up frame it was looking as if it has stolen the prey instead of hunting it.
    2. The IQ that you pointed could probably be because of the heavy fog that is persitent in that area together with the ISO800.

    Obviously these are my views but I will surely consider your suggestions.
    Cheers,
    Saleel Tambe
    So this is not cropped at all? Strange, because 7D is pretty good at ISO 800 for me. Maybe it has something to do with your post processing. Looking at it again, you might also try some selective NR on the background to help cut down on the noise without losing any more detail in the bird.

    Charles

  6. #6
    Ken Watkins
    Guest

    Default

    Great if not slightly gruesome capture.

    It has enough room for me.

    Running NR on BG would help a great deal and perhaps a tad more sharpening on the bird and the poor duck.

  7. #7
    Todd Frost
    Guest

    Default

    Nice capture of this action. Agree with some nr and just a bit more room, just enough to give some breating room. Well done.
    TFS
    Todd

  8. #8
    BPN Member Bill Dix's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Princeton, NJ
    Posts
    12,487
    Threads
    1,892
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Very graphic. Looks like the Gadwall has been through a food processor. I'd vote for just a little more room. Nicely seen and captured.

  9. #9
    Super Moderator Daniel Cadieux's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Ottawa, Canada
    Posts
    26,266
    Threads
    3,976
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Thanks for the detailed explanation of the attack...I enjoyed the read! Must have been quite an experience to watch. That Gadwall looks to be in rough shape, YIKES! I'd go for a bit more room too, and the colour noise on the eagle's plumage is perhaps caused by underexposure brought back up in post? There may be a "colour noise" removal option in your NR or RAW conversion software of choice...worth checking out.

  10. #10
    BPN Viewer
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    Sydney Australia
    Posts
    1,124
    Threads
    187
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    The first thing that came to my mind was the lithographs dipicting an eagle carrying off a young child. I guess a duck will do. Very nice capture.

  11. #11
    BPN Viewer
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    Australia
    Posts
    479
    Threads
    46
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    That really must have been something to witness!! The poor duck looks like it's been plucked and tenderized :eek:

  12. #12
    S P Jadeja
    Guest

    Default

    Fantastic image with the prey. Enjoyed the write up. Great Shot...

  13. #13
    Russell Edwards
    Guest

    Default

    Great shot - red in tooth and claw :).

    Re comments concerning sharpening-- to me it looks over-sharpened. If you look around the hard edges of both birds, there is a halo in the sky nearby from sharpening overshoot. Once you notice it, it's quite distracting. It would probably also be exacerbating noise in smooth areas.

  14. #14
    BPN Viewer Haim Ziv's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Israel
    Posts
    479
    Threads
    171
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    I love this picture!!! Well done.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Web Analytics