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vawendy


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Free Study 2026-04 (Standard Editing)
Collection: Portfolio
Camera: Sony Alpha a1 II
Lens: Sony FE 300mm f/2.8 GM OSS
Date: Apr 19, 2026
Aperture: 4.5
ISO: 1000
Shutter: 1/2500
Date Uploaded: Apr 30, 2026

 [May. 6th, 2026 06:53:44 PM]

I could have done a better job at processing, but I didn't realize I was going to put it in freestudy until last minute. So I put it in with the quick processing I had done.

Couple of things: I agree the tight crop is weird, and feels a little uncomfortable. And it's completely possible that I could have done a better tight crop. But I found the look on the fish's face to be the interest in the photo. And it got completely lost if I didn't crop the wings.

For reference -- here's a shot with the whole bird. I would be interested if anyone wanted to play with it and come up with a better crop that still emphasized the fish's mouth. I know that I've seen other people do it effectively, but I'm still trying to figure it out.

Also, regarding the brightness of the body. I also thought it was blown, so I brought it into photoshop and was going to fix it, but it says that there are no clipped highlights. Ospreys are notoriously difficult trying to avoid blown highlights. But even though it looks like it is -- I guess it's not?

This was during the shad run on the Rappahannock. It was the first spring I had been there and it was amazing!!! Here are some other shots from the trip.



Statistics
Place: 1 out of 35
Avg (all users): 7.5862
Avg (participants): 7.5000
Avg (non-participants): 7.7273
Views since voting: 30
Views during voting: 83
Votes: 29
Comments: 9
Favorites: 0

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AuthorThread
 05/08/2026 08:53:31 AM
You are the John Wick of the photography world 😅 No matter the technical difficulties, you always pull it off and emerge to the top. Congratulations, vawendy!
 05/08/2026 06:45:42 AM
Originally posted by bobnospum:
PS: The thumbnail links above do not seem to be working. Just show as text, not links.


Yeah that happens when you put the photos in during voting.. Don't quit know why you have to go back and save the changes again. But thanks for pointing it out, I had forgotten about it!
 05/08/2026 05:38:18 AM
PS: The thumbnail links above do not seem to be working. Just show as text, not links.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/08/2026 05:36:43 AM
As a fellow Osprey shooter I am so jealous. My nearby shooting locations are all on nests rather the "fishing" spots. I do get the bird bringing fish to the nest sometimes, but not the wet dripping water shots like this. Well done.

As far as the highlight. Tough bird to shoot. Sometimes needs to reduce them to 70s or 80s even if they are not blown out in the 90s. You can also clone in a 10-20% opacity yellow/brown sometimes to take the edge off.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
05/06/2026 11:19:28 AM
Very nice capture. Tells a story well. Nitpick: the highlights are blown on the Osprey.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/05/2026 03:30:01 AM
Brilliant capture!...Fascinating how even the finest of finest details are captured such as the red traces of blood visible in the trailing spattering of water drops. Also the astonished expression formed by the "O" of the fish's mouth.
My immediate choice for Blue upon seeing this image and I'm only halfway through looking at all the entries and still have to look at the rest. Ok so I finished looking at all the entries and even though there are some beautiful images this one remains my first choice for Blue. Ps. Will come back to vote if I manage to scrape together enough money for another months membership in time before voting ends. I will then give it a 9. Would have been a 10 if the highlights in the centre white part of the body weren't so blown out.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/01/2026 04:02:34 PM
Yes.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/01/2026 03:50:45 AM
Astounding. Brutal and beautiful.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/01/2026 02:33:53 AM
Composition: 7 - Zoomed just a little tight for my liking. I assume you will have a number of amazing outtakes!
Technical: 9
Creativity: 7
Appeal: 8
Challenge: 5 - I give everyone a 5 in this category for Free Study for obvious reasons
Overall Calculated Average Score: 7 (Bumping to 8)

Hope this was helpful.

Note: If you're interested in my voting methodology...
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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