Eagle handheld

[Gaga]

I took those pictures handheld with my Nikon Coolpix 4500, attached to my Nikon Fieldscope ED82. I've got my best results when I reached speeds of 1/125 s. and more.

[IanF]

Hi Gaga,

Just my opinions for what they're worth.

What superb subjects to practice on. Looks like you've got the technique taped. The first three are still a little soft, which is all over so I'd guess it's either slight camera shake (most likely) or slight out of focus. It's defintiely easier to do with an adapter and cable release and even better if as you say you can manage a faster shutter speed.

The fourth shot is spot on with very good detail.

Exposure looks to be very good in all of the shots with retained detail in the highlights and darker areas.

Compositionally I'd be inclined to crop them a little to proportions more akin to 800x600 or 640x480 as these are more commonly used and easier on the eye to view. A tip I picked up from BCurrie is to locate the subject off to one side and leave a little room for the bird to look into. It improved my photos no end.

All in all though - great work :t:

[Tero]

Victim...a gull?

[Michael Frankis]

Yep, a gull. Probably NB's first record of Yellow-legged Gull, if we did but know it . . .

Michael

[scampo]

Even the fourth seems to lack the high definition the scope can offer (but how far away were the birds? If a long way then atmospherics will surely cut down on sharpness) - whtever - they are pretty darn good for first shots - and what wonderful subject matter!

[Gaga]

Thank you very much IanF for your suggestions, very appreciated. I'm working on my "slight out of focus". I have to build an adapter, I think it will help me a lot with that... I forgot to tell, to get a higher shutter speed, I underexposed those 4 pictures. The normal shutter speed was 1/60 s. And for the tip of BCurrie, it is know as the rule of thirds. I agree with you, picture taken with that rule in mind are really improved.

For the victim, I identified as a Herring Gull, there was a lot of them around. But don't worry, I look carefully to be sure that is was not the first mention of Yellow-legged or Thayer's Gull for New Brunswick!

Scampo, I agree with you, I think it's not the best definition I can obtain with the scope. The two birds were on the other side of a river, maybe a 100 m from me? I'm not sure, but I think the "handhelding" has a lot to do with that lack of definition...

But thank you very much for your thoughts!

[scampo]

I have the same scope and aa Fuji camera - you're success is inspiring me to start digiscoping!