Stoic Bald Eagle
A stoic Bald Eagle rests at the Alberta Birds of Prey Centre.
A stoic Bald Eagle rests at the Alberta Birds of Prey Centre.
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Jul, 2015Views
586
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Awards
Fall Award 2020
Top Choice
Absolute Masterpiece
Superb Composition
Outstanding Creativity
Peer Award
All Star
Magnificent Capture
Top Ranks
Top 10 rankTop 10 rank week 1
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Top 30 rank
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Behind The Lens
Location
Alberta Birds of Prey Foundation Centre in Coaldale, Alberta, Canada. It is a rescue facility for wildlife, birds mainly.Time
I took this photo in the early afternoon. They usually have a flying eagle demonstration at 11:30 a.m. A lot of the eagles can’t fly for some reason or another. As part of its rehabilitation, the eagle learns to move again by flying from one person to another. I asked a question if once rehabilitated, do the eagles ever come back and the answer was ‘no’. They truly prefer the wild but sadly, some of them will never go back into the wild again due to their injuries.Lighting
For wildlife, I enjoy taking photos in natural light because it is not fake. I have not experimented with colored filters yet but natural light can be so stunning and beautiful if you take a photograph at the right time. Timing is the key. I admit, though, if the sun is very bright, I have to adjust the brightness in Photoshop because I don’t have time to adjust the settings especially if a bird is moving and the light changes on the subject matter. As a Graphic Designer, I have trained eyes so I know what works and what doesn’t work even with photographs. I’ve always had an affinity for the camera as a medium of exploration. One of my favorite photographers is Ansel Adams who was brilliant at using natural light in his landscape photographs. His photos truly expose the majesty in nature. Adams believed in "pure photography" which is defined as possessing ‘no qualities of technique, composition or idea, derivative of any other art form.’ As a witness to the beauty in nature, he just recorded its majesty without getting in the way.Equipment
I have a Nikon D7000 DSLR camera with my Nikkor AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G IF-ED lens. It's my favorite lens. I use it to take photographs of wildlife all the time. I plan on purchasing a full frame camera in the future. I did not use a tripod because there is a piece missing from my tripod so I need a new one. I didn't use a flash because it was sunny.Inspiration
I love eagles as they are a great study. What inspired me is the Alberta Birds of Prey Foundation and their noble effort to rescue these birds and rehabilitate them. I am designing some t-shirts for the Foundation with the photographs that I have taken. I have so much to learn about photography and what I love about this medium is that I can explore anything I want. The visual images help me to develop a story and this is beneficial because I am also a Writer.Editing
I use Photoshop on my RAW files if I need to. Usually, there is not much touching up I need to do but sometimes there is on certain photos. Nature is such a wonderful world of study, visually. I could stay outside all day just exploring from sunrise to sunset the nuances of light for a day in the life of whatever shows up.In my camera bag
Usually, I carry with me the 18-105mm DX VR lens that came with the Nikon D7000 DSLR and my Nikkor AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G IF-ED lens, some lens cleaner, cloths, some air, my clear filters, 2 lens hoods, a notebook and some pens. That's about it. I don't carry around a tripod because I need a new one. I am a big fan of the THINK TANK brand of products which is what I use for my camera and lenses.Feedback
If you’re trying to capture close-ups of eagles, find a place where they populate and what time they usually gather then start taking photos. Patience is a virtue. The other option is to visit a wildlife rescue centre. From my experience, though there is discomfort for the eagles because they are not doing what they love best...flying...they are well taken care of until they fly again if they fly again. Additionally, try visiting at different times of day when the light varies, whether it’s sunny or overcast. The best part about digital photography is that you can experiment as much as you want then hit the delete button when necessary. Oh how I love that delete button! Then I can start all over again from a different perspective.
