Looking more deeply

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Looking more deeply

February 20, 2021 by Mike Powell

Sometimes my potential subjects are immediately visible and there are no obstructions between the us. In other cases, I have to look more deeply through the trees or vegetation to spot a distant subject.

Spotting the subject, though, is only the start. Oftentimes the bigger challenge is to find a visual tunnel that gives the clearest possible view of the subject. I frequently find myself leaning, kneeling, bending, and standing on my tiptoes as I consider my options.

When circumstances permit, I am able to capture images like this one of a perched Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) that I saw a couple of weeks ago at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. It is not as dynamic as some of my shots of the eagles building their nests, but I really like the mood of this little portrait and I am happy with the way that I was able to capture the ruffled feathers of this majestic bird.

Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife, Winter | Tagged Bald Eagle, Canon 50D, Haliaeetus leucocephalus, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA | 12 Comments

12 Responses

on February 20, 2021 at 8:49 am | Reply Reed Andariese

Nice Eagle image Mike!
- on February 20, 2021 at 8:53 am | Reply Mike Powell
  
  Thanks, Reed. You seem to enjoy my eagle shots, which is good, because I have been posting a lot of them recently. 🙂
on February 20, 2021 at 12:52 pm | Reply kathydoremus

Beautiful! I just got to spend some time with a Bald Eagle this past week and it is such a treat!
- on February 20, 2021 at 1:49 pm | Reply Mike Powell
  
  Thanks, Kathy. I am blessed to see bald eagles fairly regularly and every single encounter is special to me.
on February 20, 2021 at 9:16 pm | Reply Dan Antion

That’s a great photo, Mike. You’re fortunate to have the opportunity, and you’re skilled with the camera and your eye for a good shot to take advantage of the opportunities you get.
- on February 20, 2021 at 9:58 pm | Reply Mike Powell
  
  Thanks, Dan. My approach to so many things in my life has generally been to try to do the best I can with what I have. A lot of folks, it seems, worry too much about what they don’t have and lose out on the enjoyment of what they do have. When it comes to the pandemic restrictions, for example, I hate them, but rather than complain, I try to keep positive about those things I am still able to do.
  - on February 21, 2021 at 6:58 am Dan Antion
    
    Exactly! I missed doing a lot of thing I had planned, but I’ve been able to do many things. It starts with your attitude.
  - on February 21, 2021 at 7:59 am Mike Powell
    
    Amen.
on February 20, 2021 at 9:39 pm | Reply Mitzy Bricker

Great shot, Mike!

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- on February 20, 2021 at 9:58 pm | Reply Mike Powell
  
  Thanks, Mitzy.
on February 21, 2021 at 2:41 am | Reply krikitarts

This is one of my favorite of your eagle shots, Mike. Your choice of selective focus and your relatively-dark exposure combine to make it especially effective.
- on February 21, 2021 at 8:10 am | Reply Mike Powell
  
  Thanks, Gary. From an artistic perspective, I think this shot really works well, giving us a view into the eagle’s world without feeling like we are intruding. I would like to take credit for consciously choosing the elements that you described, but it was primarily a case of taking advantage of what I could get. There was no way I could isolate the eagle completely from the surrounding trees, as I normally would have tried to do, but it worked out even better to have the blurry forms of the trees present in the image.