Eagle of Snowbank Lake (w/pic added)

[Steve Foss]

Ken had a mid-day break from work, so he and I tooled around the Fernberg for a couple of hours and came on this eagle, which had been feeding on a small goose along the side of Snowbank Road and flushed up into a nearby tree as we came upon it.

The eagle did not want to leave the goose. I was able to get perched shots but Ken got some nice BIFs as it took off from the tree, which I'm sure he'll post later.

When we passed the spot coming back the other way, the eagle flushed and brought the goose with it this time, though we were not able to get pictures. It was a very small variety of Canada goose with a small bill, and was barely bigger than a mallard.

Both with Canon 30D, Canon 400 f5.6L, iso400, 1/1250 at f5.6, +1 1/3 exposure compensation, handheld

[finnbay]

Very nice! This has to be a record for posting shots! I just got done with my elem class, and here they are. Will try to get a couple up after my night class.

[MN Shutterbug]

Very nice. I love the way he is perched on the pine tree branches. I've never seen one in a pine tree before. I'm surprised it can hold it's weight.

[Jim Uran]

man they are awesome birds. Nice pictures

[Steve Foss]

Thanks, guys.

Ken, since your eagle-in-flight shot(s) are going to be better than these, I figured I'd better draw first blood.

[yakfisher]

Nice work. I hope someday I'll be able to get those super sharp images.

[mmeyer]

Boy Steve, you sure do get 'em sharp don't ya! Very nice shots with great detail. Thanks for sharing.

[finnbay]

Steve,

You put too much pressure on me! I compensated 1 stop, but should've gone a little more. More noise than I like. Oh well, have to give it another go. Here's what I have:

[Steve Foss]

Ken, no pressure meant, buddy! When I saw that second to the last shot on the LCD I knew you had a money shot. Great one there! Wish I had it!

And shadows/highlights can help a guy out a whole lot. I used a ton of it to bring out the shadow detail in mine. I also lassoed the eye/eye cavity in both images and brightened that area up using levels, which emphasizes the eye a bit.

[finnbay]

I have to play some more with it - haven't hit shadows/highlights yet.

[Steve Foss]

Like you thought at the time, Ken, we should have pulled the vehicle up around the corner and gone into the woods and sat until the eagle came back for the goose.

It sure was insistent on keeping that goose! I think we'd have gotten some even better shots. Too much yakking between fellow photographers to keep our eye on the ball, eh?

[finnbay]

Just like a couple of old l...., well, you know what I mean!

[Steve Foss]

That's the problem nature photographers have when being in good company. Too much chatter, not enough shutter.

[MN Shutterbug]

Ken, your second shot looks like he's doing the ballet. Great shots, both of you.

[Steve Foss]

Thanks again. It's just fun hanging out sometimes.

MM and yak, if you'd like you can start a new thread on image sharpness. There are a lot of factors that go into it, and though prime lenses like the 400 f5.6L are inherently sharper than zooms, there are a lot of things that can be done to sharpen up most zooms. And not all post processing sharpening regimens are created alike.

Up to you.

[Catmendo]

Well done....gents!

[Steve Foss]

Here's another eagle (a bit of a ratty looking juvie bird) from almost exactly the same place on Snowbank Road this morning.

Canon 20D, Canon 400 f5.6L, iso400, 1/1250 at f5.6, +2 exposure compensation, monopod. The +2 EC blew out the sky just slightly, but it was easy to recover those highlights in the RAW converter in Photoshop CS2. It needed that level of EC so the bird was not badly underexposed against the sky, which would have made it noisier than heck

[finnbay]

What, no goose with this one?

[Steve Foss]

If only I'd have taken a pic of the goose yesterday I could have photoshopped it in.

Get your brakes fixed yet?

[finnbay]

Noooo. I thought my trip this weekend might be in jeopardy, but will be able to get it in to Benville in the morning. Looks like I blew a line. Thought I might sneak out for a little shoot this afternoon, but I don't want to run over any moose that might jump out in front of me! You didn't check out Uncle Judd's cabin? By the way, my mononpod appeared mysteriously today in my room. I wonder where that has been?

[Steve Foss]

Nope, didn't get into the cabin. Only had a couple hours to spare. See, when you buy a Manfrotto monopod, they are so sophisticated they will eventually catch up to you on their own after you leave them in another photographer's car.

Glad you'll be good to go tomorrow. A single brake line replacement is no big deal.

[finnbay]

Quote:

they are so sophisticated they will eventually catch up to you on their own after you leave them in another photographer's car.

How much extra did I pay for that internal GPS and homing device?

[Steve Foss]

Not sure, but it's already paid for itself, hasn't it?

[tednugefan]

those are relly cool eagle shots