Hoshedar Cooper  

Hunter becomes the hunted by Hoshedar Cooper

November 2023 - Hunter becomes the hunted

About the Image(s)

This image was shot last weekend at a collection of man made lakes in Dubai called Qudra lakes. They were developed in the desert over a period of time with trees planted around them and gradually over the years the lake and the ecosystem have attracted non native birds. In fact, we now see some migrants staying here year long. So the image shows an Osprey which is not originally a native bird to the UAE but has made it its home. I shot it when it was hunting for a fish and just recovering from its plunge in the water. If you notice closely there is a small fish in the mouth of the fish, and hence the title.
I have had a couple of not too flattering remarks on this image (blown out whites, colour dispersion, etc. etc) which honestly I could not notice. But from my PSA Group 7 family I will expect a very honest review to determine if the observations are correct or someone has been too harsh. Await your feedback as to what I can do to improve this image. Thank you. Shot on Nikon Z9, 240 mm, ISO 1600, shutter speed 1/16,000 at F8, white balance at Natural Auto light.

This round’s discussion is now closed!
6 comments posted

Judith Flacke   Judith Flacke
Hi Hoshedar - I'm afraid I tend to see problems with this image too. Clearly, it is a great capture - to have got it at all is amazing! But the shutter was VERY fast and the iso was VERY high and I think this shows in the photo. Also, it appears to be a very tight crop. Probably as a result of the cumulative effect of all these the result seems harsh, maybe over-sharpened. Sorry. But still a fantastic shot from a personal angle, for sure!   Posted: 11/05/2023 03:10:15
Hoshedar Cooper   Hoshedar Cooper
Thanks Judith. Yes, the ISO was a bit high to achieve fast shutter speeds to capture fast flying birds. The image was shot at around 10.00 AM when the desert sun was already way too bright. On hindsight I could have reduced the ISO a bit and lived with a slightly lower shutter speed. However, the noise was not noticeable( have used ISO 5000 and above on the Z9 with not terrible results) and I used the Denoise in PS. Cropping was done from the top as there were some electrical cables in the background. I did not sharpen the image at all. Just adjusted the lighting and colours a bit. Will reprocess and see if it improves.   Posted: 11/06/2023 11:43:31
Barbara Mallon   Barbara Mallon
I love it! Someone introduced me topaz filters . They are great in sharpening and reducing noise. If you buy the AI version, it does both. I have a digital rebelT2i and ca shoot auto and get sharp and clear images! There is a lot of space around the action. Could consider cropping. You may get some detail in the whites in adobe camera raw or light room. Bottom line, it is nature and your capture of the moment is superb! Other qualities are second to that!   Posted: 11/10/2023 16:13:53
Tom McCreary   Tom McCreary
You captured the action very well and the Osprey is looking straight at the camera. Your focus looks right on and the reflection is good. I really don't see any noise or blown out whites. I think that you should crop in some to have the bird and fish fill more of the frame.   Posted: 11/11/2023 12:38:24
Gaetan Manuel   Gaetan Manuel
The Osprey was looking at the camera. That's ok. But I find it difficult to distinguish between the osprey head and the dark area between its wings. Same thing for the small fish in the mouth of the 'big' fish. I see no noise issues.For me, the angle from which the photo was taken is not so good. Sure, the combination of ISO, shutter speed and aperture has resulted in a non-blurry image. And, these opportunities do not occur everyday!   Posted: 11/16/2023 10:55:40
Paul Bradley   Paul Bradley
Hoshedar, Your timing on this photo was very good. It isn't often that you can capture all the detail like you have in this photo. I think with the Z9 you can capture more detail in the photo with some settings in the camera. I just got a Z8 and in pursuit of the right settings for me, I ran across some settings that may benefit you with your Z9.
Hudson Henry is an attorney located in Portland,OR, and spends more time in the photography field than the legal field. He has the Z8 and Z9 and goes into great detail of settings on both cameras and what those settings can do or not do for the photographer. I like what he has to say in the focus area and that is the area I think he can help you. You said the bird had a fish in its mouth but I couldn' see it. Hudson can help focusing on the eyes of the subject and the eyes are hidden in your image.
You can find him on the internet Hudson Henry Photography. Don't let appearance fool you when you see him.
Good luck and I hope this will help you.   Posted: 11/21/2023 09:11:14