Somdutt Prasad  

Eagle by Somdutt Prasad

January 2025 - Eagle

January 2025 - Somdutt Prasad

Original

About the Image(s)


Golden Eagle taking off - I took this shot last week in a conservation area near Bikaner in Rajasthan, India. The Light was flat and sky bland so although I had captured the wings spread nicely, I thought a monochrome conversion would work out better.

As an aside this is a project of the forest department of India to try and revive the vulture population which had almost been wiped off because of the use of Diclofenac in animal husbandry. The vultures used to feed on the carcasses of these Diclofenac fed cattle and it was poisonous to the vultures, so they became almost absent from Indian skies. Subsequently the government banned the use of Diclofenac in animals. This conservation area was set up where dead cattle from in and around Bikaner are picked by forest department staff, tested for disease and then dumped in this area which is far away from the town, and the vultures and eagles have a veritable feast. Because the birds are used to humans bringing food for them, they are not afraid of humans, so I could take this with a 200mm lens.

Most of this is not evident from the image, but I thought you might like to know the background

14 comments posted

Diana Magor   Diana Magor
The wings are lovely but you are losing the definition on the legs as they overlap so in this case I feel it may be better left as a colour. Why does the sky always have to be so uninteresting when you get such a good shot. It kills the final image unfortunately. Like Jennifer, why not abandon this as a nature shot and give it a different background for a pictorial image?   Posted: 01/05/2025 15:28:58
Somdutt Prasad   Somdutt Prasad
Dear Diana,

I think thisis a great idea, If I replace the sky and enter it into PIDC, it will probably do better in PSA exhibitions. Thanks
  Posted: 01/05/2025 16:42:04
Stephen Levitas   Stephen Levitas
So very interesting, the story about protecting vultures. Thanks for the detail.
The pose of the wings is great. I prefer the color shot. Somehow, the monochrome has lost a bit of impact, so I tried my own conversion to monochrome. How is this?   Posted: 01/06/2025 04:41:40
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Somdutt Prasad   Somdutt Prasad
Yes, your conversion has more vitality; I think I will stick with the colour version!

I had specifically gone there to see this project I had heard of and to photograph the story, but most images look fairly macabre, so I am think whether a photo story on this is a good idea or not.

Here is another of these rather odd images from my day and a half there   Posted: 01/06/2025 15:40:50
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Somdutt Prasad   Somdutt Prasad
Sorry going off topic, but actually the whole story is more interesting than individual images. The agenda of the group is to discuss individual images, so if people think, I am veering off, I'm happy to delate these extra images
  Posted: 01/06/2025 15:43:14
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Stephen Levitas   Stephen Levitas
Oh, please veer off! Stories about the place are so very interesting. Also, how you felt about the place and about getting the image. Not just the image and how you shot it technically.   Posted: 01/06/2025 17:58:22
Somdutt Prasad   Somdutt Prasad
Stephen, like I said , the images on their own look, abhorent, where is the beauty in a vulure eating a caracass? On the one hand I felt some revulsion at the sights, but on the other hand I wanted to photograph it, and I often find that when I am photographing something, I like to dosconnect emotionally. Perhaps comes from my job, when I am treating a patient, I empathize, but at the same time try to maintain an emotional distance as it doesn't cloud my judgement. Is the attached image a bit abhorent? But it is telling the story of a vulture feeding on a carcass.   Posted: 01/06/2025 18:07:48
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Stephen Levitas   Stephen Levitas
This last one tells a good story. It documents part of the life cycle of two creatures.   Posted: 01/06/2025 21:30:58
Somdutt Prasad   Somdutt Prasad
I think had a Photo story competition in PTD, but not in other sections, if anyone has an idea of where I could use it - that would be very useful. I'll approach a couple of local publications to see if they want to publish this kind of thing. Doesn't make a pretty picture, so they may not be interested.
  Posted: 01/07/2025 00:43:34
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Somdutt Prasad   Somdutt Prasad
And another one - which sort of conveys the essence of the place   Posted: 01/07/2025 00:44:21
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Tom McCreary   Tom McCreary
I like that you cropped off the branch in front of the bird. You caught the eagle with the wings partially spread out. I do like the color better. Thanks for the description of the location, and thanks for showing more images. My favorite is the next to last one, with all of the birds in it. Lots of confusion going on, but the two large birds at the top interacting are the center of interest. I really like that image.   Posted: 01/09/2025 21:35:23
Somdutt Prasad   Somdutt Prasad
Tom, I like the two egyptian vultures image as well. it reflects the character of the place!   Posted: 01/10/2025 01:04:26
Wes Odell   Wes Odell
A great shot of the bird. I'm confused: Is it an Eagle or a Vulture? Doesn't matter, I guess. I like Steve's conversion, but I think everyone would agree that it needs a background?   Posted: 01/09/2025 21:59:47
Somdutt Prasad   Somdutt Prasad
WEs, The oroginal shot is a Golden Eagle, The scond is a Drongo, the third (mono with two birds fighting are Eagles), The three after in colour are all Egyption Vultures, they used to be migrant, but some have now become resident.

I need to polish my background replacement skills in Photoshop, and change the background of my initially posted image.

Thanks   Posted: 01/10/2025 01:02:44

 

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