conkerwood

This is a rework of a pic I took some time ago. Its a wedge tailed eagle, the largest raptor in Australia, and it is beautiful. Interested in feedback on processing. FYC.

Needs to be downloaded for the feather details but it has still come out a little darker on UHH compared to my monitor.

Peter

(Download)

RiverNan Loc: Eastern Pa

what kind of feedback? The contrast is good, the clarity good, the fine hairs so sharp. The only thing I can think of and I had to scrutinize the image to come up with is the distinction between bird and background gets lost at the neck straight below the eye. But I had to dig deep and look long to find it. All in all an amazing image...perhaps on your monitor what I mention is not an issue. I love it!

Uuglypher Loc: South Dakota (East River)

great low key portrait, Peter!
I recall being very saddened while driving trough Queensland how ,any of these were DOR, some obviously having been hit purposefully while feeding on road/kill carrion.

Dave

Frank2013 Loc: San Antonio, TX. & Milwaukee, WI.

Peter, an absolutely stunning capture. I feel you have gone middle ground here and that may be just what you want. As you and I have discussed personal taste has much to do with it. Here are above and below the middle ground.

(Download)


(Download)

Billyspad Loc: The Philippines

Your just too damn good for this place!!! Faultless.

ebrunner Loc: New Jersey Shore

Awesome detail. I like the light and that eye is tack sharp. The catch light is actually a reflection which I like very much. This just plain works.

conkerwood

I don't know if I have told this story here but some 30 years ago I was driving along a back road near my hometown in Victoria. I came to an intersection which had a fairly rocky area in the centre serving as a makeshift roundabout. I slowed down etc and just at that moment a wedge tail eagle swooped down and grabbed a huge snake from the rock. It took off with it in its talons but it was so heavy it couldn't get properly airborne so the snake's tail got tangled in the top of a barbed wire fence. This caused the eagle to nose dive, (well beak dive I suppose) straight into the ground letting go of the snake which was left hanging on the fence. As the eagle hit the ground to add to the indignity a squadron of mudlarks (small black and white birds,) attacked the eagle. The eagle gave up in disgust, shrugged it wings and flew off, no snake for dinner. This all happened in the few seconds it took me to drive up to and through the intersection. But I can still see it in my mind as clearly as I did then. As for road kill yeah it happens a lot. Sometimes I guess you get mongrels driving at them, there are low life morons in every corner of the planet. But part of the problem is that when they find carrion on a road they gorge themselves and then find it difficult to take off. There's a fascinating little story about one such occasion here.

http://www.wires.org.au/blog/wedge-tailed-eagle-crashes-through-windscreen

Peter

conkerwood

Yeah it was a conscious decision, but also a bit of a compromise. I like the idea of the eagle emerging out of completely two dimensional blackness but being given form by increasingly strong highlights. But as soon as I went completely black where the shoulders/neck would have been I lost any sense of that area leading into the rest of the bird. So I took the area down as much as I could without losing it entirely. I probably could have gone a little further as with your second pic but as you said we are into the area of personal taste. But I might have another look and just take it down a smidge more. Many thanks for your feedback and your rework efforts.

Peter

conkerwood

Yeah I suppose I have had some nice feedback for a couple of posts which only means that there is a high probability that there is a load of old rubbish on its way soon. Many thanks for your kind words.

Peter

conkerwood

RiverNan

what kind of feedback? The contrast is good, the clarity good, the fine hairs so sharp. The only thing I can think of and I had to scrutinize the image to come up with is the distinction between bird and background gets lost at the neck straight below the eye. But I had to dig deep and look long to find it. All in all an amazing image...perhaps on your monitor what I mention is not an issue. I love it!

ebrunner


Awesome detail. I like the light and that eye is tack sharp. The catch light is actually a reflection which I like very much. This just plain works.

Many thanks for the positive feedback, I really appreciate it.

Peter

waltchilds Loc: Central Florida

Peter, this is an amazing photo. The sharp tones and details are exceptional. Also love how you cropped it. Well done.

jaymatt Loc: Alexandria, Indiana

Wow! I don't think I could say anything more, other than that I'm envious of the photo you've created here. This is nice work, indeed.

waltchilds Loc: Central Florida

Peter, I was viewing this excellent image again after commenting this morning, and would love to know what lens you used and at what focal length, also how close you were to the eagle. Thanks again for the post.

pfrancke Loc: cold Maine

you did justice to this stunning creature. Man, just beautiful. As others have mentioned, if you can, please share all the thinking that took place when you shot this!