I went out to a local lock and dam where the eagles gather in the coldest part of winter. I casually noticed a little snow forecasted around the time I was arriving. The reality was as I got out of my car it started pounding down sleet. Great atmospheric conditions, but actually too much for a distant subject. Fortunately, the sleet tapered off to the occasional moderate burst and I was able to get some shots. This is probably my favorite from the day, if not from the season. For some reason, I am really enjoying the different tones of browns and white together this winter.
Specific Feedback and Self-Critique
I don’t consider myself a bird photographer, but it’s somewhat special locally as in our peak times we can have hundreds of bald eagles congregated in a very small area. Peak this year (for whatever the counts are worth) was about 800 adults and juveniles. This has been a means of getting me out with the camera now for a few years, and I’ve really come to enjoy both watching and seeing if I have any treasures whenI get home.
Does anyone have tips for photographing in heavy fog, sleet, snow, etc.? I know that there’s never supposed to be too much, but I find if my subject is not really close in those conditions then it kind of gets lost in the haze.
Technical Details
This was shot at 600mm but heavily cropped. ISO 800, 1/1250s, f6.3, which I think is wide open on this lens at 600mm (full frame). I made a very tiny contrast tweak on the entire image and I think I warmed it slightly. Maybe it’s too yellow on the white feathers? I did a soft radial gradient on the eagle with a very slight exposure adjustment, a little mid tone contrast, and a tiny bit of saturation.
I’m always afraid of being too heavy handed with processing (aside from cropping).
800 eagles??!! OMG what a sight that must be. Not sure where you are, but I hope you have some wider shots showing a whole bunch of them.
I like the slight rotation here - the rear wing frames the head nicely so we can see that marvelous head and beak. Shutter speed looks good for the floating and sort of languid flying they do sometimes. They’re so big and not as fast as ospreys. Processing looks good to me - I sometimes hesitate about their beaks and wonder if they really are that yellow, but they are. So are the head feathers in places - especially where there is some little ridge separating sections of them, and of course the tail which drags in all kinds of stuff, that’s not absolutely white either. If you wanted to add some warmth to the body and wing feathers, that might be nice. I find that they have some golden tones in the rich brown that you can tease apart.
In terms of fog or sleet, well, ugh it’s just awful to shoot in if its heavy. But the dehaze slider can be your friend when subjects are starting to get lost. Not this photo, but if you got a wider view of many birds you might have to use it. I find a light touch works best. This shot has such atmosphere - I can feel the raw air and the pinging little sleet pellets.
I’m in Iowa right along the Mississippi River. The Rock Island District of the Army Corps of Engineers has an eagle program and they count each Wed. at the lock and dams in their system. That’s roughly north of Davenport, Iowa to north Missouri/Quincy, IL. I don’t know how accurate the counts are or how they can even do that, but it is nonetheless a good guideline of if it’s busy or not out there. It’s pretty impressive when there are so many and there’s no lack of activity, but I have yet to get a shot I like that shows the scope (if that’s possible). Come see us sometime!
Thanks for your comments on the white balance/color and also on photographing in sleet. I need more practice. I was glad to finally get a day that I could be out in some “atmosphere”.
