spiveydon

Bald Eagles of the Pacific Northwest

Photos taken in Skagit Valley in Northern Washington State.

Photos taken in Skagit Valley in Northern Washington State.
Read less

Canon EOS 5D Mark III

settings

Aperture f/4 ISO 2000 Shutter 1/1250 Focal Length 600/1

upload_date

Feb, 2017

Views

817

Likes

+103

Awards

Legendary Award

Hero Award

Contest Finalist in Just Eagles Photo Contest

Member Selection Award

Peer Award

+34

Absolute Masterpiece

Magnificent Capture

Top Choice

Superb Composition

All Star

Superior Skill

Outstanding Creativity

Emotions

Impressed

Top Ranks

Top 10 rank

Top 10 rank week 1

Top 10 rank

Top 10 rank week 2

Top 10 rank week 1

Top 10 rank

Top 10 rank week 2

Top 10 rank week 1

Fabulous! Congrats on your finalist award!

Sorry for the delay in responding, but thanks for your comments

PRO+

Wow ... Fantastic action shot!

Ultimate

spectacular capture.....right time right place or did you have to camp out for weeks

Thanks…right time, right place.

See all

Same photographer See all Behind The Lens

Photo taken in Skagit Valley in Northern Washington State

Baby Grizzly, Bella Coola, British Columbia

This image was taken late one afternoon on a river drift during a Canadian Grizzly wildlife workshop.

While living in New England, we always knew Spring was near because a family of Robins would nest outside our front door and raise their hatch. Photo

Behind The Lens

Location

Skagit Valley in Northwestern Washington State. I was on a Bald Eagle photo shoot with three other people provided by Aaron's Tours.

Time

The image was captured about mid-morning on an overcast day.

Lighting

This was a three day photo shoot and the weather the first two days was very challenging. Combination of snow, rain and constant low visibility. Finally, on third day we got a break from mother nature, and the sky brightened some so I could us the proper shutter speed along and still get good exposure.

Equipment

I used a Canon 600mm f/4 prime lens on a Canon 5D Mark III, mounted on tripod with gimbal head.

Inspiration

The eagles were very active because the time of year was the end of the salmon spawning and, because they were dying, they were easy prey for the eagles. The most exciting activity was when the eagles fought for the salmon. Usually a more mature eagle wanted the salmon that a younger eagle had. I was watching for those scenarios when I captured this image.

Editing

Most of my post processing was done in Adobe Lightroom. I Applied lens correction, raised the exposure some, adjusted the whites and the blacks, and added clarity. I then used a plugin software by MacPhun called Intensify CK for final touches.

In my camera bag

Since I am an amateur photographer and generate no revenue from photography, I am a minimalist about what I have in my bag. I have a Canon 1DX, Canon 5D Mark III and two lenses, Canon 24-70mm f/2.8, and Canon 70-200mm f/2.8 II. I also carry a Canon extender 1.4x, a 600 EX-RT Speedlite and a polarizer filter. When specialty lenses are required (like the 600mm prime) I rent them.

Feedback

A combination of inclement weather and this being my first experience photographing birds in flight, this shoot was especially challenging for me. Getting the proper shutter speed and the correct exposure was difficult. But the real key was patience. Ultimately these magnificent birds provided many opportunities for good image captures. Exciting shoot, I highly recommend.

See more amazing photos, follow spiveydon

spiveydon

spiveydon

Bald Eagles of the Pacific Northwest

Photos taken in Skagit Valley in Northern Washington State.

Behind The Lens

See more amazing photos, follow spiveydon

Share photos. Enter contests to win great prizes. Earn coins, get amazing rewards. Join for free.

Share photos. Enter contests to win great prizes.
Earn coins, get amazing rewards. Join for free.