My Best Eagle Photograph, or...
Click on photo to enlarge - © 2009 jim otterstromThis magnificent American Bald Eagle is a resident of the Moonridge Animal Park here in Big Bear. The eagle has been injured, is blind in its right eye, and can no longer survive in the wild.
My original photo has the plywood ceiling of the eagle enclosure as a background. I replaced that background with the actual color of a Big Bear sky from one of my other photos because I couldn't bear to continually look at such a gorgeous creature in captivity. So, I set the eagle free, at least in the Spirit of a Photograph.
It took me more than 5 hours of working in Photoshop, pixel by pixel, to redefine the feathered edges of the bird to my satisfaction, a chilly afternoon well spent if you ask me.
The original photo was made on the same August day in 2007 as the Turkey Vulture photo below, these birds are next door neighbors. The sky color was taken from the Red-Tailed Hawk photo below the Turkey Vulture.
Labels: animals, Big Bear, birds, nature, photography, wildlife
posted by Jim at 8:31 AM
9 Comments:
When you say pixel by pixel your mean it...I am impressed. Wonderful photo!
Its absolutely breathtaking! Kudos to you, photoshop kicks my butt every time i try to use it.
Tabor-
Thank you, that was a lot of tedious work but the result was worth it I think.
Hi CatHerder-
You commented just as I was posting, Thank You!
And, yes Photoshop can be a real challenge sometimes, I'm only good with the most basic functions. I really need to study my tutorials!
Ohhhh those hairs on the chinny, chin, chin...
Phewwwww!
Jim,
I was doing some reviewing on my blog and when I went to my entry on Dimming the Sun and Seasonal Affective Disorder (2006/11)I can't find your comment in the comment section. I remember it but it's not there.
Did you remove it? If I accidentally removed it, I'd like to replace it if you still have a copy if it since I recall it as very interesting.
I hope you're well
Tim
SimplyTim-
I remember posting the comment but I never deleted it, and, I'm sorry, but I don't keep copies of my comments to other blogs.
Good to see you here though, I've been a slacker of a blogger lately, but winter's here and it's snowing right now, so I may be spending more time indoors. HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO YOU!
well done, I am sure your subject appreciates the work on his behalf
happy Snow day or snow week, I guess you won't be struggling with chains today?
Beautiful eagle. Nobody would say there were no sky in there. The eagle, as usual, looks so confident and proud of himself.
Nice eco-blog! You are in my favorites.
Happy holidays from Iowa.
Patricio
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