I still don’t have my ideal Golden Eagle flight photo but I’m getting significantly closer.
Readers might remember that the Golden Eagle may be my primary nemesis species. I’ve had quite a few opportunities with them but something always seems to go wrong, preventing me from getting that spectacular image I’ve visualized for so long. But three days ago I was able to get a shot that encouraged me and came fairly close to my ideal.
1/1250, f/7.1, ISO 640, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
There were three Golden Eagles hanging out together at the base of the Promontory Mountains but at first they were on the wrong side of my pickup so I had to quickly turn around for them (“creative” driving is one of the hallmarks of my photography…). One bird was perched on a rock fairly close to the road but that one took off a split-second before I got my pickup stopped and my lens trained on it. But then this eagle took off from atop the mountain in front of me and came my direction. It flew between me and the hill but the background was so close to the bird that few of those shots were tack sharp. This one was an exception.
This eagle is in full flight (instead of having recently taken off) and moving fast at a slightly downward angle. For me the flight posture strongly (and accurately) suggests high-speed flight. The head and body are sharp, there’s good light on the face and eye and that namesake golden nape stands out beautifully. And though it may not appeal to everyone I really like the blooming rabbitbrush in the background. For my taste the eagle is a little too centered in the frame but I had no more room on the left.
I was so encouraged to find three eagles together I went back to the area the next morning (it’s a 90 minute drive for me to get there and I have to get up early to be there at dawn) but I found neither hide nor feather of them.
That’s bird photography for you…
Ron
If that isn’t “ideal” I apparently do not know the definition. Wow!
Just looking again…expanded image until it almost filled screened…dead centered…gorgeous perfection!!! I hope you get the image you seek annd get as much satisfaction out of it as I’m gettingfrom this one!
Beautiful shot. Intense look on its face. I love Rabbitbrush this time of year. The desert sure comes alive when it blooms.
I like rabbitbrush too, Jean, especially when it’s blooming. Wish more birds would perch on it though.
that is one amazing photograph. I also feel that the rabbit brush is perfect because it gives it a sense of space. Just love the flight of this eagle. Well done in your quest for the perfect shot
Thank you, Gillian.
Yep, that’s nearly perfect! Yeah, you could pick a nit or two with it, but hey, I’m guessing you’re at 99 and 99/100ths of the way there! Nemesis birds being what they are and all. But a question…how are you going to get the golden to look at you in the process? Oh I know! I think Patty called it…you want to be the bunny/jack rabbit (voles are far too tiny for goldens to mess with)! LOL!! Be careful what you ask for. Don’t forget, you are edible 🙂
At the risk of being ridiculously redundant again, OH WOW!
“how are you going to get the golden to look at you in the process”
Laura, it isn’t predictable or reliable but wild raptors fairly often look back at you when they’re at unusual angles in the air and close. They’re probably just checking us out to make sure we haven’t made any threatening sudden moves but it looks pretty neat when you can catch in in a photograph. Harriers are especially prone to do it but most other raptor species I’ve photographed do it occasionally too.
The jackrabbit thing might facilitate that look more rapidly, but there are those pesky downsides to it 🙂
Oh my.
When (not if) you do get the shot which your picky self is finally completely happy with, I suspect there will be a new nemesis. In the interim, I am so grateful to be along for the ride.
I suspect you’re right, EC. Wonder what it will be…
I keep looking at this magnificent image and wondering what more you could want????
Ok, I’ll answer that, Patty, but remember I’m talking about my ideal image.
I’d want a flaring pose with the wings either up or down and the bird looking back at me as it turned and more room on the left for better composition.
Oh, and I’d also want the bird larger in the uncropped frame. This image has been cropped to about 50% of the original.
I’ve been going back to this imagecall day. I LOVE IT!!!….would love to have it on my wall…Then I could look at it all the time…and not on a mickey mouse-sized screen!!!
Sounds like a “selfie”… 🙂
Ot…do youbteallyvwant tobfeel like a vole??????
Holy Mackerel, Ron!!!! What a stunning capture of a magnificent Golden Eagle!! I so understand your goal of getting the “perfect” one of any bird you photograph. I’m still working to get my best of a Roseate Spoonbill but dang this is such a special photo. I’ve been lucky to see a Bald Eagle in the wild but my chances of seeing one of these beauties is nil to nothing so I’ll drool over your latest capture!!!
I’ve always loved those “Holy Mackerels”, Jo Ann – thanks for the memory and the smile. I haven’t heard that expression for some time…
Hi Ron,
I’m new to your blog thanks to my fellow photographer friend Roger Burnard in Sarasota, Fl.. I have been following your blog for awhile and it’s finally time to step up with some admirations. The Golden Eagle is a stunning shot. The rabbitbrush I feel really needs to be in the image as with your depth of field it’s just the right amount visually. I think you have enough space in front of the bird to be still quite pleasing. I understand where you are coming from as we are our own worst critics.
I really enjoy your blog as you are really doing your thing. I’m currently visiting in Big Fork, Montana and look forward to the Centennial Valley. Keep up the really nice work.
Regards,
Dik Pfaff
Amen!
Thank you, Dik, and welcome to my blog.
I envy you being at Bigfork. I grew up just east of Glacier Park and used to spend a lot of time in the area around Flathead Lake – my family almost lived at Lake Blaine in the summers and in later years my parents actually did live there. Some of my friends actually live on the west shore of Flathead Lake. You could probably look across the lake from Bigfork with binocs and see their place.
I hope you enjoy the Centennial!
This would be my ideal golden eagle picture!!!!
I’m glad you like it that much, Marina. Thanks.
Wow, what a beautiful picture, love the yellow bush in the back ground, makes the picture one of a kind. I don’t see many pictures of the Golden Eagles, just the Bald Eagles. Love,Love,Love.
Trudy, Goldens are elusive and difficult to find, much less photograph – part of the reason we see relatively few images of them. Thank you.
Gorgeous Ron. Love everything about your shot, rabbitbrush and all. Gorgeous Golden Eagle in a beautiful position with and a beautiful backdrop.
Thanks very much, Colin.
What an amazing bird! He looks so low to the ground here. 😀
It was quite low, Arwen, although because of the slope of the hill perhaps not quite as low as it looks.
Awesome !!!
Thanks, Jeff.
Gorgeous shot! And I like it with the rabbitbrush. Every time I see or hear about rabbitbrush, it brings back memories of college, when I decided that its Latin name (Chrysothamnus nauseosus) made a really good swear word…
Ha, that’s funny, Susan. If I remember correctly that species name refers to its smell but personally I don’t find it disagreeable at all.
Wow, what a great shot! Love the background and the angle of the bird. Great tracking and keeping the bird in frame at that speed. If you don’t mind I have a technical question. Many suggest different options for the AF case settings while using AI Servo. As suggested by others, I use Case 3, tweaked to tracking sensitivity to -, Accel to + and AF switching to 2 for moving subjects. Do you have any preferences. Appreciate any thoughts you may have on this.
Frank, to be perfectly honest I haven’t noticed a lot of difference between cases or their settings when I switch back and forth. I’ve mostly used case 1 and case 3 but for this shot I used 1. There are just so many variables in bird photography that I haven’t been able to reliably pick an overall preference in AF settings for the Mark II.
Absolutely gorgeous in every way! WOW!!
Thanks very much, Pat.
I sure would have hated to miss this one!!! You were so lucky to see them, much less get such a great image! I guess there may be some picky fuss budget who objects to the rabbitbrush but I think it’s a beautiful touch. I like EVERYTHING about this image…”three” goldens! Boy! Am I jealous!!!!!
Patty, knowing how much you love goldens I thought it was almost morbidly ironic that I forgot to send you the link to this particular post. Thanks for the reminder.
It was!!!!!!!
My first impression was WOW!! with a jump in my heart! I would be ecstatic with that picture – what a gorgeous capture!
Sharp, catchlight in the eye, the look of the King of what they survey and the fierceness of its focus on what it is about to do!
Wonderful shot – thanks for sharing.
I agree, Dick. I think that good look at the eye with a catch light is a big part of the appeal of the image. Thank you.
Dick–you got it!!! That “look of kings” is definitely one of the main reasons I love these birds so much! I love it in other animals, too. Some horses have it, redtailed hawks and other raptors have it…even some humans have it. Goldens are bursting with it….
Thank you Patty, your description is right-on!
Humans tend to forget that animals, and in my mind, especially birds of prey are individuals! Some groups (Goldens) ARE kings of what they survey, especially if the survive their first year.
Beautiful shot. You captured the light on the golden mane just right. I have the same trouble when photographing birds. I will have a wonderful day with plenty of birds, perfect light and my brain just expects it to be the same the next time I go to the location. Then I get disappointed when it is not the same. I try to remind myself to enjoy the moment! Sometimes scenery photos just have to do.
Thanks, April. I know what you mean, birds just aren’t the same in an area from day to day. Or from year to year.
Those of us who want to get scenery images near the Promontory Peninsula had better hurry. There’s a project in the works that will likely be an environmental disaster for that entire area. I’m hoping to do a blog post about it soon.
Is it the landfill?
Yes.
Beautiful shot, Ron! 🙂 We had 3 hanging around here for a few days – one obviously a juvenile with it’s coloring and crying for food as the hunting went on in the prairie dog town up the hill – and the power lines………. You will get your imagined photo one day. 🙂
Thanks, Judy. I hope you’re right but this one came pretty close…
Sensational Ron!
Charlotte
Thank you, Charlotte.
Personally, I think this shot is astonishing with its rabbit bush. And astonishing is leagues ahead of ‘perfect’! Thank you for astonishing me today, Ron.
Nice to know you appreciate the rabbitbrush as much as I do, Alison. To some folks, like magpies rabbitbrush is only to be tolerated. I think part of the reason is because lots of people are allergic to its pollen.
Significantly closer ….. can’t wish for much more than this one.
Thanks, Dave. It feels strange to FINALLY be quite happy with a Golden Eagle image.
Bird photography can at times be either very rewarding or exasperating! Especially birds in flight.
Boy, isn’t that the truth!