Kreuger Park, S Afriac
Now known as the “short-tailed” eagle.
With either name, it’s red face and legs, chestnut-colored back and tail, intense black body, silver wings above and brilliant white below make the Bateleur one of the most colorful eagles in the world.
It has the shortest tail and narrowest wing relative to body size , of any eagle , an adaptation to it’s low altitude soaring flight.
When in flight and seen from below, it looks as if there is no tail at all and seems very unbalanced. Gorgeous, amazing eagle.
2014:05:06 04:10:14
D800
500mm
1/500 sec, f/8
Mode: Av
Metering: Spot
Exp comp: -1/3
ISO: 320
White balance: Auto
Flash: Off
Sandy, this is amazing. That clean background is just so precious and the processing here is top notch. I love seeing all the details in the blacks. I don’t mind the branch on top but I would clone out or crop the triangle on the upper left corner and consider doing something about the triangle on the top edge of the frame near the middle.
Sandy, these are wonderful looking raptors. You’ve captured an excellent photo of this guy…
I could buy in on some different crops or clones with the overhead branch. But, not a real negative there for me, just a change to see how it looks…
I agree with a crop and lean toward losing the top branch while cropping to proportion on the left. The point of the branch on the right works well with the one below, and cropping its point kinda blows the image for me. You might have to do a little cloning to get rid of some of the branch base in the ULC to sustain an interesting location for the eagle’s face rather than cropping so far down as to remove all the upper branch.
Great image, made even better and more interesting with those crops in my view.
Sandy, I could see two changes to the top area. First change would be to merely clone off the small snag jetting out of the top limb or branch there. That might work with the main upper branch providing a bit of overheard hoop or framing if you will. Second change would to be to remove that entire upper branch or limb and of course the snag as well. I lean toward that being the cleanest look in the end I would think.
Anyway, the eagle is the main subject and removing the distraction of at least the upper snag would place more focus on the raptor IMO…
A very pretty bird with a nice pose and interesting perch. I like the variety of colors in this birds plumage. Certainly fits the tropical theme that I have been on. This is on my list to find someday.
What a bird! IQ is really good, and I love the perch. If I did anything to the perch, I would only clone out the piece standing alone on the top middle-right. But the upper branch adds a lot by framing the bird, so I’d definitely keep it. Adhika does have a point about the triangle of white coming through in the top left. Otherwise, you handled the reds well, but you might be able to wring a little more detail out of them by adding some blue or messing with the saturation in selective color.
Hello, Sandy. Love the bird, of course, and the composition is close to perfect (to my taste that is, of cours ). I would suggest cropping of a bit from the top, I made a screen shot by moving the image a little but up. That would be my dream composition ! Other than that: great work ! Cheers, Hans
). I would suggest cropping of a bit from the top, I made a screen shot by moving the image a little but up. That would be my dream composition ! Other than that: great work ! Cheers, Hans