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Osprey
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Osprey

by Harry Harris

Gallery: AvianPosted January 30, 201188 views10 comments
I went back yesterday to San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary (SJWS) to check on the Osprey activity around the artificial nest (see my previous post). One of the Ospreys was there. I set up so that I had a clearer background with no buildings and a little closer. Well we both shared the morning for about an hour and then it took off and came straight at me. I wanted to get as full a frame as possible and I think I came close. This crop is 85% of the original image. I had to crop of some on the left, my camera has developed a crescent shadow. I like the look on the eyes. I kept my ISO up because the sky was a bit overcast.
Comments are appreciated.
01-29-11 9:15 a.m.
Canon 7D
300 2.8L + 1.4 ext
f/4.5
1/5000
ISO 640
Exposure Comp - 1/3 (I did not want to burn out any whites)
Tripod

Comments

10 comments
Comment posted by Keith Bauer on January 30, 2011 at 9:18 PM
Nice flight pose. Appears nice and sharp. Looks underexposed by about a stop or more. I understand that you didn't want to blow the whites but you needed positive exposure compensation for this shot.
Registered on November 20, 2003, 458 Posts, 4836 Comments
Comment posted by Sharon Hallowell on January 30, 2011 at 9:28 PM
Good advice given so far. Good job changing position to clear your bg. Sharon
Registered on November 1, 2003, 392 Posts, 4810 Comments
Comment posted by Luke Ormand on January 30, 2011 at 9:59 PM
A classic pose and it's cool that they eyes are looking up at the sky.

I disagree with others in saying you needed "positive" exposure compensation. 0 exposure compensation would have served you perfectly. There seems to be a bit of green colorcast on the bird - I'd adjust the tone of the WB slightly to correct that.

Regarding your ISO - one look at your shutter speed lets me know you did not need to keep it up that high. 640 didn't hurt you too much, but you could have gotten away with 200.
Registered on February 4, 2009, 1093 Posts, 7035 Comments
Comment posted by Harry Harris on January 30, 2011 at 10:01 PM
I went back to my LR3 image and increased the exposure until the whites started to burn and then backed off just a little. I do like the difference. Thank you.
Registered on August 2, 2010, 169 Posts, 741 Comments
Comment posted by Mia McPherson on January 31, 2011 at 7:36 AM
G'mornin Harry,

Love the pose, the intense look the osprey seems to have and your choice of comp for the original post. I do prefer the repost as far as exposure goes, in the field I would have been either at 0.0 or +.03 for exposure comp for this bird against a blue sky. ISO 400 probably would have given you enough shutter speed to freeze the action well.

What is a cresent shadow? Can that be repaired?
Registered on June 25, 2007, 491 Posts, 12566 Comments
Comment posted by Monica Siri on January 31, 2011 at 10:55 AM
Harry,
I think the repost works better. I like the look of the osprey and the wings position.
Registered on September 20, 2009, 132 Posts, 3764 Comments
Comment posted by Ron Dudley on January 31, 2011 at 11:00 AM
Nice flight posture Harry. I too prefer your repost though it's always best to get the exposure as close to "right" as possible in camera.
Registered on March 30, 2007, 437 Posts, 10915 Comments
Comment posted by Ron Bielefeld on January 31, 2011 at 12:11 PM
The repost is much better Harry. Ospreys are a tough exposure. I agree with the others that working on getting the exposure right in camera will make your images so much better. Don't rely on post-processing too much. If you can get away with just doing a bit of crop for comp and then sharpen for posting you are good to go. Much more processing and the shots IQ will suffer some. Keep shooting and posting.
Registered on December 6, 2008, 360 Posts, 7132 Comments
Comment posted by Harry Harris on January 31, 2011 at 4:02 PM
Mia, here is the full image which displays the problem I have with the left side. I took my camera to Canon this morning. They think it is a shutter problem
Registered on August 2, 2010, 169 Posts, 741 Comments
Comment posted by Mia McPherson on January 31, 2011 at 7:14 PM
Harry,

Thanks for showing the cresent shadow, I hope Canon gets it fixed quick so you can be back out in the field shooting.
Registered on June 25, 2007, 491 Posts, 12566 Comments