Eagle attack

Part of me says WOW! and part of me says HUH? I don't have to explain the WOW feeling as many of you have expressed reasons for it. So I'll explain the HUH? feeling. Somehow when I look at the image I keep asking myself what's not right about it. First, it doesn't seem to me that the body languages and positions of the eagles quite match up. Secondly, it seems like the upper left eagle is further away than the foreground eagle. Admittedly, it's hard to tell when there is motion blur. Lastly, when I look at the edges of the upper left eagle it just looks odd - not like edge blur from motion. I am no expert on determining composites, but it certainly entered my mind also. So, WOW! or HUH? So far the WOWs have it.

Congratulations on PoW, Miguel.

 

There is nothing wrong with this picture. Small birds will attack larger ones, and birds in a dive or coming out of a dive at high speed will often have very strange appearances due to their lowered profiles in order to reduce wind resistance.

 

This is a fine photo of a very dramatic moment, very worthy of PoW.

The difference in color you refer to is 'edge contrast' which has been enhanced by the Unsharp Mask Filter in PS (USM). I agree that it looks bad. It is however due to over-application of a filter (which is all to easily done) and (at least IMO) contributes to the fakey appearance of such an image. (you can see it also around the head of the bird on the right, and around the specs of flying snow.) I believe Miguel though, that this image is the real deal.

 

...Lesson?: Use your filters in moderation! Don't oversharpen! (I think it is much better to under-sharpen an image than to over-sharpen.) This applies to most PS filters!

Technically, it is quite good, given the challenge of the subject, though, immediately I could still tell it was heavily manipulated [opinion] and had to check to make certain you were not trying to get away with something - but this manipulation was not done in a collage way [opinion], which has plenty of room for forgiveness, but rather in a way which is meant to be convincing. In this regard, I think it fails - and rather becomes cliche.

 

With all honesty, I think this image relies entirely on it's subject matter to work successfully.

Really very impressive, as well as the rest of you works.

The only thing that bothers me is the title... In my opinion there's more from love there then from brutality, aren't they a couple during the mating season? Or is my knowledgle about eagels' behaviour insufficient?

I initially thought it COULD have been a composite - not because of the edges, but because of the way the blur looks -, so I certainly know where your doubts come from on this issue. But while your suspicions are "reasonable", don't you also need to acknowledge the very fact that the photographer already replied in the original (pre-POW) thread, that this was NOT manipulated...? As far as I am concerned, having no evidence of manipulations, I simply believe the photographer - because I have no reason to doubt him.

At this point, if anyone says it IS manipulated, he's in actual fact accusing the photographer of lying ! Imho, before you accuse somebody you need a very strong demonstration or presentation of evidence. This is basic deontology and rules of courtesy, as I see it.

And while I, for one, think that Photoshop has opened many doors to photographers, I certainly agree with Jim Trombley above, who wrote this: "I guess the days of taking a photographer at his/her word are gone. Everyone thinks something has been run through PS just because it is a great image. Composition, color saturation, lighting, all the basics can be controlled through the camera and yet no longer does the photographer receive the praise for learning and applying their skills so effectively. Sometimes I feel it was a sad day when PS was created."

Yes, Pshop is great per se, but has also taught us to be suspicious about virtually any picture - and that is indeed truly sad...

Miguel has a really good photographies of eagles and other raptors. You can only take a look into his webpages (the one here and other one in WWW.fotonatura.org) to know that this image is not manipulated. He has a lot of different images of these animals fighting.. Somebody is saying that the left eagle is smaller, but I think is due to the position of the wings. Compares the size of the claws... they are almost the same size between both animals.. I don't think he has manipulated the photo.. I think that Miguel has spent a lot of time in the wild, waiting for the best day, the best hour and the best minute... Just this and not spending hours in front of the PC screen.. Cheers from Canary Islands and continue doing things like this, MIguel...

I've got to step in...

 

... the "perceived" difference in size between these two raptors is largely an OPTICAL ILLUSION. Note that I added a qualifier "largely" to that assertion. I qualified the assertion because, as with all animals, some difference in size is to be expected. However, the perceived size difference is immaterial, and entirely created from the edge-on view we have of the eagle on the left. The spread wings of the eagle on the right - not to mention expanded tail feathers and body width - give the impression of a much more substantial bird, but it's just not so. The easiest way to tell is to take your fingers to the screen (go on, do it) and measure the distance from the tip of the head to the tip of the tail of the bird on the right... now move your fingers over (maintaining that distance) and do exactly the same thing with the bird on the left... pretty close, isn't it? Certainly - I would think - within the normal variance for a species such as this.

 

Bottom line... take the photographer at his word. I dislike manipulations and being fooled as much as many in this forum, but it is unfair to lay such accusations in this instance.

So if this would have been shot on film...how many of you non-believers in this person's word would say this was a manipulation?????

Even in the pre-PS days, someone with good darkroom skills could have manipulated this photo. Man, cut Miguel some slack... Go out and try to photograph sparrows flying in your yard and see how hard it is...then PS those shots into this winner. Then think about the patience and skill that it took to bring home this winner.....Right place, right time, right eye, right skills.....

Moderator Note: Ok I guess I'm going to have to step in sooner rather than later.

Let's not turn this into one of those old and tired discussions about Manipulated or not Manipulated... Furthermore, I will insert [opinion] if you state things as fact that are not known. So ;-) I'd suggest that people realize that many times the "facts" you present about another person's work are your opinion. Please phrase your comments in that light. I'm going to try not to edit/delete the PS or not PS comments but if it gets out of hand I'll have to.

Sometimes you'll have to agree to disagree and move on. Cheers..

I think that the photo is so perfect that it is hard to believe that it wasn?t manipulated. If the photographer says it wasn?t, I think we should just believe him and enjoy.

 

I think that the composition is perfect (again, how can you compose a picture of two wild eagles fighting), the light is outstanding and, what IMO really makes the photo is the Christ look of the attacked eagle.

"Truth is stranger than fiction". In this case,the original shot is equal to or better than ps. Let's believe what Miguel wrote and give him the full credit of being an outstanding photographer.

To Doug Burgess (and others) -- Concerning raptors, the rule of thumb is that the females are larger than males by 20 - 30%. Thus it would seem that the attacking bird is male and the defender is female.

This is an excellent capture in my mind not only because of the action that we see taking place, but the very dramatic golden lighting that seems to illuminate features of both birds. That lighting takes a very interesting image to an even higher level.

 

Initially, I admit to wondering if this was real because the birds when viewed close-up (try 300 percent) appear to be at entirely different focal points. However, not only did Miguel address the issue specifically, but if you go onto his website you will find this image which looks to me to be the follow up image to the POW here. So, in my opinion, the issue is settled. Excellent work once again.

 

http://miguel-lasa.smugmug.com/gallery/378321/1/16718719

I rate this a 7/7 and I don't care if it was created in P/S or not. I look at an image for it's

overall effect and this image is stunning. If it occured naturally it was a great capture, a

once in a lifetime image. If it was created in P/S it was a lot of work with a great result. I

will take the photographer at his word an not try analyze this in P/S to prove it one way or

the other. I still don't understand why people get bent out of shape by how someone

created an image. Snapshooters take pictures. Photographers make pictures.

I should add, notice the sloping hill behind the bird being attacked in the background of the POW image, and then notice the exact same sloping hill, lighting, background etc with the image on his website where there is major contact. There is no doubt.

One click of the dial to 1/1000 and much of this discussion wouldn't take place. Miguel has done it on the next frame in his folder. It was enough to freeze similar skirmish but the light here makes all the difference. I admire people working so hard to shoot scenes like this one for our enjoyment. Regards,

Excellent photo. The timing is the hardest part of something like this. I can only imagine how long you waited, although throughout the wait I'm sure you got many more good shots of this bird. Patience is a virtue. Someday I'll have that kind of patience... someday:)

Amazing photo. 7/7 of course :)

that's a badass shot. The sharpness of the attacking bird does not bother me. Eagles are beautifully aggressive.

I totally believe this has not been photoshopped. I go to Western Kentucky's school of

photojournalism and i have the privelage to work with photographers who can catch a

moment like this as well. Bravo. It's a great shot.

The reason i mention all this is because i read the first paragraph telling about the

photograph.

Congratulations. Keep shooting!

Great Photo, Great colors. After reading the rest of the discussion, it's hard not to start picking the image apart, alas i succumbed. The one thing that really bothers me is the lighting of the 'defender', its in sunlight except for the left wing tip, which would suggest the sun is shining from the directon of the attacker, therefore casting shadow over the defender as the attacker is awfully close, unless the sun is shining beneath the attacker, almost horizontally.

On face value however the image marks a superb penultimate moment, i would dearly love to see the point of contact....it would settle me as to the story being told by the image(i.e. what happens next), it would probably also settle a few hanging queries which like it or not detract from enjoying the image. The idea that it doesnt matter whether its ps'd or not seems ridiculous, as this is the sort of image that gains respect from being a rare moment, difficult to capture, and yes i would feel more 'cheated' by a manip'd nature shot as opposed to a manip'd studio shot. Nature after all being natural.

Thumbs up, the rest of the folder is just as visually stunning.

This caught my attention enough to read all the comments. Nice shot.

 

Some of the comments do read like "Well, if I were that eagle, I woulda done such-and-such".

 

Sadly, I do get the feeling I would never want a photo to be honored by POW because of all the BS one has to endure...but I dont'think I'll ever have to worry about that limelight myself :O)

 

 

 

Murray

In order to caught this kind of pictures the photograher must to be very patient, then, select correctly the place where he will to capture the eagle or any animal. The photo looks a nature capture I don`t think it could be manipulate in photoshop because the action let us to see a real wildlife animal.

Mario Paper Mart쮥z Caballero/M踩co

Is it just me or has the attacking eagle got three feet...2forward and one to the back of the leg feathers? Can someone please verify?