Mom feeding and dad keeping a watchful eye out.
Nikon D300s, 600VR, TC14EII, ISO 640, f11, 1/500, NearUniWB, CW Metering, +.7 EV applied.
Mom feeding and dad keeping a watchful eye out.
Nikon D300s, 600VR, TC14EII, ISO 640, f11, 1/500, NearUniWB, CW Metering, +.7 EV applied.
I love the head angle and behaviour of the bird on the left of the photo. The clipped wing and tail aren't great though. It's too bad the other adult is covered by the tree. Seems to be a bit of noise in the image. Is this a big crop? Love the little guy with the tongue out!
TFS
Not an overly big crop and in fact, this was just used as a 31" in poster by MA Audubon and it looks kinda stunning.
I'm not seeing noise on my end anyway???
As far as the wing clip on the left and the mom being behind the pine needles.....it's nature and I cropped this way specifically to get both dads intent stare and the interaction of mom with the chicks. :)
With a nest 65' up in a tree and 321 feet away to the base, there aren't any angles to play most of the time.
Quite honestly, I posted this to prove a point which basically is that we're purist to the extreme degree with our critiques and photography. I have sold a bunch of these framed, it has been on two posters and in two magazines now.
Sometimes, sterile perfection isn't as nice to paying customers as reality is.
The dad's stare and the chick's tongue out make this one really special, Jim. Extra bonus for the eye contact with the mom, too.
Boy, those chicks are vulture-ugly though, aren't they?
I agree with you Jim that as photographers we're often 'purists'. I consider myself a bird watcher before a bird photographer so I can definitely understand that it is natural to see a bird behind a tree or have a wing clipped from view.
I think this is a great image and the HA definitely puts it up there. In my critique I was merely trying to point out what I thought could be improved. Obviously they're not always possible, especially since it's an eagles nest!
Keep up the good work Jim and I look forward to learning more from you and everyone else here.

nice view of the nest, unfortunate that one got bloacked. image is quite noisy in the plumage.
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Great eye contact and really like the interaction. Like how you can see the chicks as well. I think the experience in this situation accounts more than anything.
"Quite honestly, I posted this to prove a point which basically is that we're purist to the extreme degree with our critiques and photography. I have sold a bunch of these framed, it has been on two posters and in two magazines now.
Sometimes, sterile perfection isn't as nice to paying customers as reality is." Thank you for this Jim, I echo your thoughts here.
Love the stare on dad and moms interaction with the chicks. I'm sure this looks mighty fine in print, as well as bank account
Well done.
TFS
Todd
Let's discuss the noise factor on the under wing.
If yopu're going to not overexpose the white head of an adult eagle, the under wing in shadow is going to be noisy unless you're shooting something like a D3s which has great nose characteristics bit 1/2 the pixel density.
Now....the question becomes in my mind....if I sell this image, will it be an issue in print....and the answer is NO. So far all of the images I sell or licesnce end up in print....some on a web page but the vast majority in print.
I suppose if one does nothing but stare at their images on their computer at full magnification OR if they do sell to a lot of on line use only outlets, perhaps it would be an issue.
In reality...it is not.
I too see some noise in the males underwing (mainly his left wing)...if the print looks fine so be it but from what I'm looking at it's there and obvious. I say this not to take anything away from the image itself...I love the natural feel to it and also know how difficult it is to get images of Eagles nesting (you have a great shooting angle on this nest by the way). I also agree with you about what sells and what doesn't. What is suggested on here as far as critiques doesn't reflect what the public loves to see or purchase...for the most part.
The intense look on the male and actually seeing the Eaglets is what makes this a winner for me.

Jim, this scene is not very challanging in terms of DR, I guess the problem is your processing, or perhaps under_exposure in camera, I don't have a Nikon D3S, but have no problem with shadow details in a photo like this one.
The noise is an issue as presented for me, I think we should critique the image as presented, regadless of how a print will look like or whether it sells or not.
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Interest5ing comments.
Not a challenging DR image creation eh?
Bright light on a white head and totally shadowed underlings.
I guess I;'ii have to start shooting totally 1/2 black and half white birds in screaming noon sun to bone up :)
Amazing how folks on here have actually lost sight of reality.
Also kinda sad to be honest to become so worried about technical aspects that you loose sight of capturing a moment of your subject(s) souls.