Osprey Landing with Lunch
[Click image to view in light box.]
This Osprey and I surprised each other. It landed above me as I was walking along the Willamette River trail at Champoeg State Heritage Area on Sunday. The fish was still flopping around in its clutches.
I knowingly disregarded some bird photography rules (or at least conventions) when I hurriedly took this picture. In particular, the angle is too extreme and I was shooting against a white, overcast sky. I also applied a heavy, very obvious vignette. The eye is drawn to the brightest part of the image and I felt like I needed the vignette to counteract that white sky and draw people toward the bird. The vignette also contributes to a moodiness that feels appropriate for the scene.
Does this shot ultimately “work”? I’m not sure. I’m often not sure which photographs of mine work. I run them by Kate, and if she likes something I share it. I wasn’t going to post this photograph at all, except perhaps on my Instagram stories. But when Kate saw it, she liked it, and so here it is!
Location: Champoeg State Heritage Area
Date: May 23, 2021
Exposure: 1/1600 second, f/9, ISO 4000
Focal Length: 850 mm
Gear:
Camera: Nikon D750
Lens: Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM Contemporary with a 1.4x teleconverter