Bald Eagle II

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Bald Eagle II
Photo Information
Copyright: Serge Gagne (sergegagne) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 150 W: 1 N: 136] (401)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2005-02-12
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon EOS 300D, Canon EF75-300 III USM, Cokin Skylight UV Neutral 58mm
Exposure: f/5.6, 1/100 seconds
Details: Tripod: Yes (Fill) Flash: Yes
Photo Version: Original Version, Workshop
Theme(s): Bald eagles head [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2005-02-14 11:35
Viewed: 1846
Points: 54
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note [French]
Last Sunday morning, under an overcast sky, I did some shooting again at the Ecomuseum, as usual since the beginning of the winter. After looking at the images, I decided to try improving my PS (PS Elements 3.0) skills, and I dare to post the result. I warmly invite you to send your comments and critiques, so I can improve. You will find below some details on the PP performed, as well as a note about collection and use of Bald Eagle feathers in Canada. Thanks in advance for taking time to critique.

Photo shooting data

Captured at 10:32 am under overcast sky
Exposure program: Shutter priority
ISO 200
Focal length: 300 mm (in fact 600 mm, as I used my Tamron 2X converter)
Camera-subject distance: approx. 15 ft

Post-processing

In RAW-file opening dialog box:
White balance: As shot
Exposure: +1.90
No change made to the settings

Processing with PS Elements:
Did close cropping
Created border: Select> Modify> Border> Border width 150 pixels
Painted border black
Used Text tool to write signature
Used Styles and Effects function and chose Scalloped Edge
Simplified layer: Layer> Simplify layer
Used USM: amount 200% / radius 2,0 pixels / threshold 20 levels
Saved for Web at TN size

Collection and use of Bald Eagle feathers in Canada

As per Canadian law, anyone collecting even a single eagle feather must hold a special permit (of course, the Ecomuseum has such a permit.) Natives registered as Status Indians are permitted to use eagle feather for religious or ceremonial purposes. Every so often, Natives come over at the Ecomuseum to ask for Bald Eagle feathers (the ones they most prefer to make their hats and other traditional items), and can leave with them after having shown their valid permit. Most likely, the same rules apply in the USA, as one can see at the following Environment Canada web page: http://www.cites.ec.gc.ca/eng/sct4/note14_e.cfm

So, if you ever find an eagle feather…
carper, Luc, Janice, marhowie, Signal-Womb, extramundi, PDP, liquidsunshine, awmostert, dew77, red45, netfalls, Callie, gerhardt, Nella, roconnell, bullybeef53, CTP has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To ellis49: I have been trying to email yousergegagne 1 02-17 20:52
To Callie: Thanks, Calliesergegagne 1 02-16 16:20
To awmostert: Thanks, Andreassergegagne 1 02-15 14:36
To Luc: Des critiques comme je les aimesergegagne 1 02-14 14:40
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • carper Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2165 W: 124 N: 2567] (8208)
  • [2005-02-14 11:55]

I love it Serge,
fantastic closeup, the details are fantastic, the eye is wonderful, I think any closer is not possible, good pof, very good note, good job

Serge, you did alright with this super close up. That was a very high USM though.
Excelent details and composition.

Mike

Critique:
Appréciation personnelle de la photo: bonne.
Grand impact visuel.
Pertinence de la photo pour le site: excellente.
Appréciation personnelle pour la note: parfaite
Commentaire:
Je ne comprend pas pourquoi les détails ne sont pas plus prononcés chez cette pigargue, Serge. Tu as utilisé un trépied et un flash. Je crois que tu mets la pédale trop douce vis-à-vis l'accentuation. J'ai osé un WS. J'espère que tu ne m'en tiendra pas rigueur.
Merci Serge.

  • Great 
  • Janice Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3339 W: 144 N: 5643] (16725)
  • [2005-02-14 13:55]

Terrific shot Serge. Very good up-close-and-personal look at this regal eagle. I like how you hace cropped him so closely, and I've taken a copy of your PP instructions. Many thanks for that. Very well done.
Interesting about the feathers. In NZ this week I went to where peacocks roam freely (place where Coasties photographed her peacocks) and people were searching the trees and fields for peacock feathers. They were taking home at least 18 different sized feathers they found.

Serge, Very nice extreme close-up profile! Great exposure on the whites with nice detail seen in the plumage. Good impact..Well done!!

Very good macro, cool colors

Bonjour Serge,
Beau portrait au cadrage serré lui donnant une touche intimiste.
L'ensemble me paraît un peu dilué. Je crois qu'une des causes pourrait être une surexposition. Je remarque qu'à l'ouverture du fichier RAW, vous avez Exposition +1.90. Voius devriez essayer avec 0 ou moins. Quelle était la balance de blanc à la prise de vue? Votre info nous donne As Shot, était-ce Auto? On peut souvent améliorer le rendu des couleurs en essayant différentes températures de couleur en convertissant un fichier RAW.
Quant à l'accentuation (unsharp mask), je crois que Luc y est allé trop fort. Trop d'USM peut dénaturer une photo à mon humble avis. Par contre, ondevrait toujours utiliser cet outil à la fin du traitement, spécialement après être passé de 240 ou 180ppp à 72ppp comme résolution d'image. Mais tout ça est affaire de goût et de préférences personnelles. Lorsque la photo vous satisfait, elle est bonne.

Une image qui a bien capté le caractère un peu belliqueux de cet oiseau.. Très éloquent aussi ses cris lorsqu'on approche son enclos.

Yes this is really good Serge the extreme close-up profile really works great here. Very well done.

Nice potrait, I like very much the composition filling all the frame. Although Luc´s workshop is nice, seems to have a little lack of detail, maybe you zoomed to much in PP?
A beautiful image, thanks for sharing.

  • Great 
  • PDP Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2964 W: 366 N: 3848] (11733)
  • [2005-02-14 17:34]

Fantastic close-up Serge, fantastic control of the whites in this one. Nice details in the beak and the eye. Super shot, well done.

Fantastic Serge,
Incredible detail in the eye. Good exposure and colours.
TFP

Décidement vous avez beaucoup de talent avec les bestioles aillées! Quel macro superbe. Le blanc est d'une clarté éclatante. J'ai bien aimé les WS qui ont été fait le bec a plus d'éclat.
Bravo et merci de partager.
Guylaine

Hello Serge,
Very good close-up. I agree that the amount of USM is 'n bit much. This will increase noise invariably and decrease saturation. Sharpening in the luninance channel only after converting the picture to LAB (from the usual RGB) may help for improved saturation, but not so much for noise in my experience. Others may differ. I am not sure if PS Elements 3 can convert to LAB however...
All in all a good shot!

  • Great 
  • dew77 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5171 W: 297 N: 4050] (13069)
  • [2005-02-15 2:09]

Great shot with excellent detailed notes!Thanks for sharing all...

  • Great 
  • red45 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2766 W: 75 N: 7516] (25149)
  • [2005-02-15 4:01]

Excellent macro [?] ;-) shot of this pretty bird. Great composition and framing.

Great portrait! Just wonderful! I love white and yellow. Congrats!

Very nice post, it would have been better to leave more space on the right side. I would push a bit more the contrast.
Well done.
TFS.

  • Great 
  • sAner Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1655 W: 79 N: 1457] (4742)
  • [2005-02-15 6:27]

Great closeup! All this white didn't make it easy for you to get the exposure right. Well done. :)

Boy, I am glad that I am not an eagle with every man and his dog after my tail feathers!
Hi Serge, a very nice mugshot of this guy. good and clear eye, cere and bill.
Some pointers, agian, if you do not mind.
This is a fierce eagle, but yours show none of this, hence it lacks the authenticity of the wild one. Not necessarily bad, just an observation. Olso, if you rotate the frame so that the bill is more on a diagonal across the frame, the eye moves up to a top third or 1/5, making a much bolder impact statement. IMO. but always just that, I would rotate the image 180º so that I will look along the beak towards the eye.
The last thing is the whites, again VERY difficult to get just right but play a bit in Selective colour in PS and adjust the whites, for a bit more contrast - there is enough detail there, I feel. I will continue like this until you tell me to stop, as I would never like to come across hard or harsh, this is because you asked for comment only!

beautiful birds, they look so strong!i like this close-up, very good details in the eye, details of the feithers are good too!
very well done!

Great expression Serge.
Very good details, composition and exposure.
Very well done.

Did you get the link ?

Hi Serge,

Any closer and we would have seen his tonsils. :) Its a great portrait of this majestic creature. Excuitise eye details well done.

WOW.. It is a larger than life photograph, Veryy well done !!

  • Great 
  • Nella (30)
  • [2005-03-20 16:59]

Stunning photo, Serge. The details are amazing. I also consider what I am looking at. This is a great shot of an endangered species and therefore means a lot to me. I also like your note, especially the fact about the feathers. Well done piece.

Stunning detail. The tight crop and excellent DOF give this photo a multi-dimensional feel which is reflective of such a majestic bird. Fantastic.

  • Great 
  • optic Gold Star Critiquer [C: 322 W: 0 N: 0] (0)
  • [2005-04-15 21:07]

Bonsoir Serge, félicitations pour cette splendide photographie, une macro parfaite très belle couleurs et bonne définition. On attend avec impatience d'autres images nature....

Christian

Magnifique!!! Tu nous montre ici deux des "outils" principaux de ce magnifique oiseaux de proies : l'oeil et le bec qui avec les serres le rendent redoutables.
Merci
Guy

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