These eagles are just awesome and I am happy that this one did such a nice job of posing for me near the front of the cage...yep...a caged bird...but at least this shot may give VINS and the great work they do a bit of a boost....
Editing: Adjusted Levels, WB, hue/saturation, curves, selective colors, noise ninja applied, minor dodge and burn of face and eyes, burned to darken background, crop, save for web, minor sharpening and colors adjustment post resize.
[Dec. 7th, 2008 10:30:49 PM]
The comments have been awesome - both the glowing and the critical, the favorites a real joy, and the score unbelievable. I am just happy that DPC liked the image as much as my son (the biggest fan of eagles on the planet).
Post Challenge: Holy smokes! I sure didn't expect this. I really loved the shot, figured it had the DPC look to it, but I really didn't expect a ribbon....Thanks everyone.
A small advertisement....IF you are ever in Vermont, try and make a stop at the Vermont Institute of Natural Sciences (VINS). VINS has a raptor recover center where the eagle and this snowy owl live. It is worth the stop - and if you call ahead, they are really gracious hosts.
Statistics
Place: 3 out of 170 Avg (all users): 7.1392 Avg (commenters): 7.9643 Avg (participants): 6.7500 Avg (non-participants): 7.2852 Views since voting: 6655 Views during voting: 627 Votes: 352 Comments: 62 Favorites: 23 (view)
sigh... Peter, If i had to be beaten off the front page by someone I'm glad it was you! congrats on the double feature this week, that is not a simple feat to accomplish
You shot this with the 105 AIS!
Awesome job.
One of my favorite lenses when my subject is not moving.
Wish it would meter on my 90 like it does on your 300... oh well, chimp works.
Mr Rose, Mr Rose, Mr Rose...how amazing to get a blue in a FS and a yellow in a master's free study...you should be doing cartwheels...I am going to have to learn how to shoot birds!
What an achievement, not only a blue in the normal free study, but a yellow in the Masters challenge as well. You must be stokked! What a great way to start a Monday!
Whoa. I could cut myself on the sharpness. I see a tiny bit of pixellation on the beak, but that's a nitpick. Nice composition, nice bokeh. 8 Bump to 9
Wow - well done. When I see shots this tight, I immediately think that the bird is in captivity, so I have to say that usually I'm not as impressed. But I'm putting that aside on this one because it is really such a nice capture. There's great detail in that piercing gaze, isn't there?! It's a little over-exposed on his head though & I only mention that because it caught my eye & that led me to notice the LCA (green fringe) around the edge of his head. But don't let me put a downer on an otherwise great shot! -- 9 -- Good luck!
I'm a sucker for eagles, and this one is done to perfection. Nicely focused eyes and detail maintained in both black and white feathers. Subject is well isolated from it's background but the bokeh does detract a bit from the subject. Just a nit-pic. Congrats.
too much sharpening and again softening/noise reduction let all the details disappear. serious discoloration on the beak from oversaturating the yellows. slight pink cast in the white feathers.
Pride
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