Eagle in the Blizzard

Gallery: AvianPosted April 23, 2012238 views11 comments

Hey everyone! I got this image in Yellowstone a couple weeks ago. We were checking out a wolf carcass between Mammoth Hot Springs and Gardiner, when we saw this Bald Eagle soaring in the air. As I tried to get soaring images I lost track of her in all the snow. Then she landed in this tree (the closest tree to the road, which was very kind of her). The snow was starting to get heavier and heavier, until it turned into a blizzard. I quickly remembered how hard it is to focus the lens in a snow storm, but luckily managed a few images

.

I just love the pose she has here!

Thanks for looking everybody!

Nikon D300
Nikkor 200-400 f/4 ED VR with 1.4 TC @ 550mm
ISO 400
1/400sec @ f/7.1
shot on beanbag from roof of truck
cropped to 85% of original

Comments

11 comments

Comment posted by Carol Nichols on April 23, 2012 at 9:45 PM

What a wonderful image Jenaya. This one is sure to win some awards for you. I would be curious to see if a bit of a crop off the bottom would improve the image, but other than that I can't think of any suggestions that would make this any better. Really terrific!

Registered on November 7, 2007, 161 Posts, 1420 Comments

Comment posted by Gary Gulash on April 23, 2012 at 11:17 PM

I'm no stranger to these kinds of shooting conditions and I like the result it can give, like here. Nice job getting detail on the eagle in these difficult circumstances. I guess I feel a lot like Carol regarding the amount of room below the eagle, not quite working for me. We all have our unique way of "seeing" things, but that's what makes this photography thing so interesting.

Registered on January 28, 2005, 879 Posts, 12098 Comments

Comment posted by Max Waugh on April 23, 2012 at 11:19 PM

This image has some great character. It gives a great sense of the very wintery spring conditions one often gets in the park. I think the sheer volume of snow makes for a real pleasing texture that turns it into a semi-abstract (which works for me).

Max

Registered on September 26, 2008, 428 Posts, 2329 Comments

Comment posted by David Haynes on April 24, 2012 at 12:45 AM

Jenaya,
What a spectacular image. I love the amount of snow falling....Not too much not too little. I can only imagine what shooting in these conditions is like. The pose of the eagle is top notch. I too would like just a little bit cropped from the bottom. Not a lot but I think losing some canvas would help the composition a little bit. You may be able to clone out that little branch running into her head as well. Very small nit in an otherwise stellar image.

Registered on February 20, 2010, 110 Posts, 1511 Comments

Comment posted by Stuart Williams on April 24, 2012 at 2:01 AM

nice image - i'm actually happy with the whole comp as it stands (i.e., no crop!!). while obliging, it's a pity she didn't hold aside that one branch ...!!

Registered on December 7, 2007, 247 Posts, 4792 Comments

Comment posted by Ron Bielefeld on April 24, 2012 at 7:17 AM

A great image Jenaya. I love the feel created by the heavy snowfall. I agree with others about taking some off the bottom. I also might add a bit to the top.

Registered on December 6, 2008, 360 Posts, 7132 Comments

Comment posted by Rob Drummond on April 24, 2012 at 7:20 AM

Really effective with the snow Jenaya

Registered on November 8, 2003, 617 Posts, 8267 Comments

Comment posted by Keith Bauer on April 24, 2012 at 11:46 AM

Jenaya: This environmental portrait really works well. The pose is just right. Dealing with the snow is tough and you did a very nice job getting the eagle sharp. Don't know if it was possible, but it looks like it would have been great to move to your right a little to avoid the merge of the branch and the eagle's head. Small nit on a fine image. I think I would take a look a a small curves adjustment to make the darks a bit darker. I tried it and i liked the affect.

Registered on November 20, 2003, 458 Posts, 4836 Comments

Comment posted by keith mitchell on April 24, 2012 at 2:47 PM

Hello Jenaya,
I do think this is a wonderful shot as posted,i would not change a thing.

Keith.

Registered on July 12, 2008, 127 Posts, 1735 Comments

Comment posted by Ken Archer on April 25, 2012 at 3:52 AM

This one's a beauty Jenaya

You did very well in such extreme conditions. I like that you can see the eagles head clearly through all those great snow flakes. Sweet Environmental Photo

Ken Archer

Registered on October 28, 2004, 222 Posts, 6683 Comments

Comment posted by Dennis Plank on April 26, 2012 at 10:19 AM

Beautiful, Jenaya. I really like the mood of this image with the heavy snow and the way the eagle fits into it. If it were mine, I might have taken a touch off the bottom, but that's a personal prejudice-portrait almost always seems a bit tall and skinny for my taste.

Registered on January 28, 2008, 1767 Posts, 23192 Comments