Seen on the beach: Osprey plus GBH chase

Image Critiques Avian Critiques
1

Osprey 27.jpg
Osprey 27.jpg1600×1200 518 KB

Osprey 28.jpg
Osprey 28.jpg1529×1200 486 KB

Osprey 29.jpg
Osprey 29.jpg1600×1200 501 KB

Great Blue Heron 47.jpg
Great Blue Heron 47.jpg1600×1200 749 KB

Critique Style Requested: Standard

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

Description

Sitting on our condo balcony at Navarre Beach when we noticed an osprey diving for fish in the ocean and then directly flying with it right over our condo. This provided an opportunity to catch the bird with the fish fully intact. The first two images are of the same pass and the third is a separate fly by.

The last image was taken when I was standing on the nearby fishing pier and saw a Great Blue Heron being chased for a mackerel it had. I am wondering if a fisherman on the pier gave the bird that fish. This was taken as I immediately walked on the pier and didn’t notice I had accidentally knocked my shooting mode to aperture priority which rendered a much slower shutter speed than I would have preferred. This was the only frame that was decently sharp at all.

Specific Feedback

Any thoughts on the perspective of the osprey? I do like being able to see the fish well in these shots and the partial cloudy/blue background.

Technical Details

Canon R7, 200-800mm, hand held
Osprey: ISO 800, f9, 1/4000s
GBH: ISO 4000, f13, 1/640s

Processed in DXO PureRaw 4 and Photoshop.

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1 Like
2

Excellent images, Allen. The fish the Osprey caught has a very visible eye that really adds to the image by giving us excellent eye contact with both. The heron’s make an interesting behavioral image.

3

Great to get the whole fish and the eye in focus, Allen. I like the downward look of the Osprey in the first image. Really like the perspective in the last one.

4

A nice series and the herons scrapping over a mackerel is an added bonus. Sharpness along with detail in the sky are essential elements of the comp in the osprey series. First one of the osprey series is my favorite. …Jim

5

Nice condo with a stunning view you have there. And good use you make of it too. I am very impressed with all the pictures. My preference goes to the GBH picture. I like the graciousness of the flight and the positioning of the birds in the picture. Reminds me of some Japanese artwork I saw once.
I hope to see more such pictures soon,
Xavier