Wedge Tail Eagle

Animal work is not really my forte, any advice would be appreciated

on improving my shots. (ratings would be nice too ;-})

I think the image could be improved by including a little of the shoulder. It's the same with animals as it is with humans...never crop at a joint, crop between joints. (in this case the neck)

Thanks for that, I knew that there was something about it that wasn't quite right. I will employ that technique for next time and see how I go. Just a note this big guy was flying low over the crowd towards me while I was trying to focus I heard a "look out" from the trainer about 1/2 a second before I copped a big wing across the head. The shot would have been great except for the crowd in the background.

----thanks, Mike. Always wondered what a wedge-tail looked like up close. Slimmer features than the Golden Eagle.

Other than the previous cropping suggestion, I can only add two things. The DOF is right on because it cleans up the background and makes the subject pop. The other important feature is the catch-light in the eye. I have never seen a picture of a wedge tail eagle before; looked like an immature golden eagle at first. Thanks.

I rather like this picture. Especially the eye is beautiful and the subdued background gives it a nice mood. I'm a bit puzzled by the colours of the bill. The pink at the corner of the "mouth" looks strange and I would have expected more yellow on the light part of the bill. Is this a juvenile, or do adults also have these colours?