bald eagle IMG_5457
Apr, 2017Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
I captured this photo of my favorite "bird of prey" at the Elmwood Park Zoo in Norristown, PA. The zoo opened in 1924. The property was donated by a private landowner with a few white-tailed deer. It has expanded greatly over the years due to funds from the Norristown Zoological Society.Time
I visited the zoo in the morning as soon as they opened at 10:00 a.m. I know this is a popular zoo, therefore, I tried to avoid the crowds.Lighting
There was partial sunshine on this day. I tried to get up close to avoid the shadows.Equipment
I utilized my canon t3i camera with a 55-200 mm lens to capture a close-up shot of the eagle.Inspiration
My favorite bird of prey is the bald eagle. I specifically visited this zoo because the eagles here are in an enclosure near the entrance of the zoo. There's no high gate separating these birds because they have lost their ability to fly away due to injury. This eagle in particular looked straight at me. It's rare to capture a frontal view of any bird, so I was excited to be there at that moment. I'm not sure if the eagle was curious or annoyed about me taking its picture. I've been to a wildlife reserve and seen an eagle soaring high above while on the hunt, but the close-up image eluded me.Editing
I did crop out some of the unwanted subject matter on either side of the bird, so the focus would totally be on the subject. The first thing you notice are the eagle's eyes and how their piercing at you.In my camera bag
Normally, I pack my Canon t3i with the standard 18-55mm and the zoom 55-200mm lenses. I use the standard lens for landscape shots and the zoom lens for macro shots of flowers and close-ups of animals, especially birds.Feedback
Normally I stay at a particular location of the zoo for fifteen to twenty minutes at a time. This allows me to capture certain animals in an intimate way. It also allows for other visitors to take their photos and comment on the animals with their children. Also, I snap 20-30 shots hoping I'll fall in love with a few of them.
