Nature Eagle in flight

**MossyRocks** · 12-04-2019, 10:56 AM - **3 Likes**

Captured this off of my rickety pontoon at my lake property this summer and am looking for feedback on it.

Riddler · 12-04-2019, 10:59 AM

Nice pic

**Kevin B123** · 12-04-2019, 11:00 AM

He is going some, well caught!.

bertwert · 12-04-2019, 11:19 AM

Excellent shot, only feedback I can think of (which I understand isn't necessarily a choice) is to try and frame the eagle so it doesn't seem that it's about to leave the frame. Here it looks like it has no where to fly to, whereas if it had been further to the right, it would have had more frame to fly into. Nevertheless, it's still an excellent image, and you definitely don't always have time to frame these as you would wish.

**MossyRocks** · 12-04-2019, 11:21 AM

Originally posted by bertwert

Here it looks like it has no where to fly to, whereas if it had been further to the right, it would have had more frame to fly into.

I was thinking that as well and was even worse in the uncropped one without 1/3 of the image removed from the right.

Riddler · 12-04-2019, 11:51 AM

The picture isnt Sharp.

photolady95 · 12-04-2019, 12:16 PM

1/350s for a bird in flight is not fast enough and as Riddler said, photo is not in focus, especially the head. which needs to be in focus.

**MossyRocks** · 12-04-2019, 01:03 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by Riddler

The picture isnt Sharp.

Originally posted by photolady95

photo is not in focus, especially the head. which needs to be in focus.

I think the lack of sharpness is from the downsampling. Here is a 100% crop of the head from the original JPG I have a work:

As I don't have photoshop at work I used GIMP and for the resample when downscaling used the "no halo" option. I haven't been all the pleased with how GIMP resamples images with going smaller and have tried all the options with the exception of nearest neighbor.

**PJ1** · 12-04-2019, 01:24 PM

A good shot considering that you obviously had to track the eagle handheld. I agree about the framing. A smaller image would be better balanced. But you did a good job on the main subject.

bertwert · 12-04-2019, 01:29 PM

Forgive me for taking the liberty to mess with your photo, how about a more vertical orientated crop, such as this, maybe not quite as tight into the eagle?

bertwert · 12-04-2019, 01:31 PM

Originally posted by Kerrowdown

Here's a bit more room...

Apart from the vertical line down the middle, that's quite nice!

I wonder how hard it would be to blend it in like that with some PP skills, probably made a bit easier by a blurred background already.

**MossyRocks** · 12-04-2019, 01:55 PM

Originally posted by bertwert

Forgive me for taking the liberty to mess with your photo

I don't mind. I wanted to see what people thought and sometimes messing with things and posting is the best way.

Originally posted by bertwert

how about a more vertical orientated crop, such as this, maybe not quite as tight into the eagle?

Apart from the smallness I don't have an issue. I might try that when I get home on the full size uncropped original image.

photolady95 · 12-04-2019, 04:16 PM

I would crop up to the tail feathers but leave enough room in the front so the eagle isn't flying out of the frame.

Since the eagle looked so far away and the background looked fuzzy, is why I thought the photo was out of focus.

**Apet-Sure** · 12-04-2019, 05:21 PM

Originally posted by photolady95

1/350s for a bird in flight is not fast enough

It's barely fast enough to overcome camera shake for a 300mm lens (1/300 rule). The in-camera SR may help though. I probably would have used a faster shutter speed and cranked up the ISO to compensate. My K-5IIs has very acceptable noise at ISO 800; the K-3 should be even better. You'll have to experiment with ISO/shutter speed combinations to see what gives you the cleanest/sharpest image in your opinion.

I still haven't decided if I like SR on or off if my shutter speed meets the focal length reciprocal rule. I haven't done enough experimenting to form an opinion. Other PF members may want to chime in.

photolady95 · 12-04-2019, 08:32 PM

I've always used the rule that for moving objects should be 1.5 times the focal length of the lens you're using faster if the bird is in flight.

12-04-2019, 10:56 AM - 3 Likes	#1
MossyRocks Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2017 Location: Minnesota Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,982	Eagle in flight Lens: Sigma 300mm f/4 APO macro Camera: K-3 Photo Location: Garrison, mn ISO: 400 Shutter Speed: 1/350s Aperture: F8 Captured this off of my rickety pontoon at my lake property this summer and am looking for feedback on it.

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12-04-2019, 10:59 AM	#2
Riddler Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2019 Posts: 250	Nice pic

12-04-2019, 11:00 AM	#3
Kevin B123 Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: Hampshire Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,176	He is going some, well caught!.

12-04-2019, 11:19 AM	#4
bertwert Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Golden, BC Posts: 15,173	Excellent shot, only feedback I can think of (which I understand isn't necessarily a choice) is to try and frame the eagle so it doesn't seem that it's about to leave the frame. Here it looks like it has no where to fly to, whereas if it had been further to the right, it would have had more frame to fly into. Nevertheless, it's still an excellent image, and you definitely don't always have time to frame these as you would wish.

12-04-2019, 11:21 AM	#5
MossyRocks Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2017 Location: Minnesota Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,982 Original Poster	Originally posted by bertwert Here it looks like it has no where to fly to, whereas if it had been further to the right, it would have had more frame to fly into. I was thinking that as well and was even worse in the uncropped one without 1/3 of the image removed from the right.

12-04-2019, 11:51 AM	#6
Riddler Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2019 Posts: 250	The picture isnt Sharp.

12-04-2019, 12:16 PM	#7
photolady95 Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: May 2009 Location: Cruising the forum watching his back Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,712	1/350s for a bird in flight is not fast enough and as Riddler said, photo is not in focus, especially the head. which needs to be in focus.

12-04-2019, 01:03 PM - 1 Like	#8
MossyRocks Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2017 Location: Minnesota Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,982 Original Poster	Originally posted by Riddler The picture isnt Sharp. Originally posted by photolady95 photo is not in focus, especially the head. which needs to be in focus. I think the lack of sharpness is from the downsampling. Here is a 100% crop of the head from the original JPG I have a work: As I don't have photoshop at work I used GIMP and for the resample when downscaling used the "no halo" option. I haven't been all the pleased with how GIMP resamples images with going smaller and have tried all the options with the exception of nearest neighbor.

12-04-2019, 01:24 PM	#9
PJ1 Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Toowoomba, Australia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,483	A good shot considering that you obviously had to track the eagle handheld. I agree about the framing. A smaller image would be better balanced. But you did a good job on the main subject.

12-04-2019, 01:29 PM	#10
bertwert Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Golden, BC Posts: 15,173	Forgive me for taking the liberty to mess with your photo, how about a more vertical orientated crop, such as this, maybe not quite as tight into the eagle?

12-04-2019, 01:31 PM	#11
bertwert Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Golden, BC Posts: 15,173	Originally posted by Kerrowdown Here's a bit more room... Apart from the vertical line down the middle, that's quite nice! I wonder how hard it would be to blend it in like that with some PP skills, probably made a bit easier by a blurred background already.

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12-04-2019, 01:55 PM	#12
MossyRocks Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2017 Location: Minnesota Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,982 Original Poster	Originally posted by bertwert Forgive me for taking the liberty to mess with your photo I don't mind. I wanted to see what people thought and sometimes messing with things and posting is the best way. Originally posted by bertwert how about a more vertical orientated crop, such as this, maybe not quite as tight into the eagle? Apart from the smallness I don't have an issue. I might try that when I get home on the full size uncropped original image.

12-04-2019, 04:16 PM	#13
photolady95 Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: May 2009 Location: Cruising the forum watching his back Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,712	I would crop up to the tail feathers but leave enough room in the front so the eagle isn't flying out of the frame. Since the eagle looked so far away and the background looked fuzzy, is why I thought the photo was out of focus.

12-04-2019, 05:21 PM	#14
Apet-Sure Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: Goldsboro North Carolina Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,861	Originally posted by photolady95 1/350s for a bird in flight is not fast enough It's barely fast enough to overcome camera shake for a 300mm lens (1/300 rule). The in-camera SR may help though. I probably would have used a faster shutter speed and cranked up the ISO to compensate. My K-5IIs has very acceptable noise at ISO 800; the K-3 should be even better. You'll have to experiment with ISO/shutter speed combinations to see what gives you the cleanest/sharpest image in your opinion. I still haven't decided if I like SR on or off if my shutter speed meets the focal length reciprocal rule. I haven't done enough experimenting to form an opinion. Other PF members may want to chime in.

12-04-2019, 08:32 PM	#15
photolady95 Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: May 2009 Location: Cruising the forum watching his back Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,712	I've always used the rule that for moving objects should be 1.5 times the focal length of the lens you're using faster if the bird is in flight.