A Family of Eagles

[Ted_Forman]

Critique Style Requested: Standard

The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.

Description

I’ve been following this nesting family of Bald Eagles for the last two years, although the nest has been there for several years. From the rim of the canyon the view is slightly higher than the nest, which allows me to look down on them rather than craning my neck upwards. There were three eaglets last year, although one did not survive. This year there are again three young ones, and they all look like they will make it to adulthood.

When I visited the site in early March the two parents were tending to the nest but there were no eaglets visible. I went back this past Friday (May 3) and saw the three eaglets which have now grown quite a bit. There was one adult close by the nest (which I assumed to be the female, although I am not sure) that took off for a while. She soon returned carrying something in her talons. I thought it was prey that she was bringing back for the kids, only to see that it was just some nesting material. The eaglets looked a bit disappointed, as maybe they were expecting to be fed. The mother gave them a stern look and then moved over to a branch, not looking back at them. Perhaps she is trying to get them to be more independent, as soon they will fly off and leave the nest to start lives of their own. I plan on returning soon before then to see how things are progressing.

Specific Feedback

I find that images of wildlife are most effective when they tell a story and leave the viewer with an emotional reaction. That’s not to say that they don’t have to be technically sound, just that it isn’t always the most important thing. I am asking what feelings you get when viewing these images, rather than what edits they might benefit from. Do you think about what life is like for these incredible creatures. If you do, then these are successful images. Thanks for looking, and any feedback would be most appreciated.

Technical Details

I shot all these images handheld with a Canon R7 and a 100-400mm lens with a 1.4x teleconverter.
f/11, 1/1000 sec, Auto ISO (4,000-5,000)
I used Topaz Photo AI for noise reduction.
Cropped the images and edited some in Lightroom.

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[Allen_Brooks]

Usually these scenes are shot from below and only the chick’s heads are seen, so I like being able to see the whole nest and their bodies. One can also appreciate the empty space below the nest and that soon the chicks will have to try out their wings. A very nice sequence and they do look a bit disgruntled they weren’t fed.

[Richard_Sandor]

Ted: you have told a great story with your images and how great to have your vantage point with a view into the nest rather than from below. I look forward (hopefully) to seeing some photos of the eaglets being fed.

[Dennis_Plank]

You have an very enviable nest location, Ted. Keep it tightly guarded or the place will be swarmed. All three of these images speak to me in various ways about the relationships between the siblings themselves and those with the adult as well. I like the one with the adult for the way it seems to almost be ignoring the youngsters. A very good series.

[peter (Peter J. Morrissey)]

Hi Ted
This is a nice window look into the family life of these young Eagles, you can defiantly see a pecking order.
nice story.
Peter

[Ed_Williams]

Wow, this is a great series Ted. They definitely look disappointed. What an incredible vantage point. Nice job capturing the environs of the nest and the tree along with the chicks and parent. The BG really accentuates their elevated perch.