I am back out at Four Mile River. As you can see it is well past the proper time of day to be out photographing bird. I just could not stay in the house. I did most of the work on these two shots in lightroom, correcting the highlights, clarity and I used a brush to bring up the exposure on the Osprey’s head. I then used a brush in Topaz Sharpen AI to bring out the head’s sharpness on the first photo. The second shot I use the same set up in Lightroom and then used a brush and the Stabilize setting on the head. I found you have pick the setting that works best (Sharpen, Stabilize or Focus). Working with Topaz on my 10 year old IMac is like watching paint dry.
Peter
Canon EOS 7D Mark II, Shooting Date/Time 04/17/20 12:18:04
Shooting Mode Aperture-Priority AE, Tv(Shutter Speed) 1/1250
Av(Aperture Value) 8.0, Metering Mode Evaluative Metering
Exposure Compensation -1/3, ISO Speed 640
Lens 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM | Contemporary 015
Focal Length 468.0mm, Image Quality RAW
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Hi Peter. I had to laugh at your iMac comment. I replaced my 2011 iMac a couple months ago. Feels like I stepped back into the modern world! Terrific action captured. What does the osprey have in the first photo? I can’t tell if it’s nesting material or prey. As you mention, the light isn’t ideal, although the flatter light in the second photo helped.
I’m not real sure what happened with the first photo. The wing looks sharp, but the head doesn’t. I’d guess that has something to do with the post processing? The background is also pretty busy in both. Are you shooting from quite a ways away?
Of the two, I prefer the second because the feather detail is better, but if possible, I’d try and avoid any man-made structures.
On the shooting techs., I’d suggest zooming in to 600mm. That should help improve the detail in the bird and to blur the BG. I’d also strongly suggest you shoot these guys at 1/2000, at least. Some of the softness in the first frame might be due to motion blur. Last, assuming you’re shooting from a good ways away, there’s no need to shoot at f/8. I’d drop the aperture down and bump my shutter speed up.
The first photo is a great shot: the eye contact between the parent and chick makes this one for me. The wing position and the water droplets work as well. Nice one.
Hi Lyle & Allen
Thank for your comments. In the first photo the Osprey is bring back nesting material. I was photographing from the road that leads to Four Mile River boat launch, behind the nest is heavily wooded and has the you see in the second shot. I was set at F8 to improve the sharpness at 500-600mm.
Peter
