Bald Eagle over the top light

A Bald Eagle cartwheels at the top of the dive from my Eagles Galore Workshop in Alaska. We had a blast photographing Eagles until the last drops of golden light: What a perfect way to end the day.

Bald Eagle Workshop update

There are still a couple of spots left for my Eagles Galore Workshop in Alaska. Join me for the adventure, Eagles Galore and so much more!

Click HERE to learn more.

Join the adventure and bring home a portfolio full of Bald Eagle images LEARN MORE HERE

🦅

Join the adventure and bring home a portfolio full of Bald Eagle images LEARN MORE HERE 🦅

Bald Eagle banking in light snow

Bald eagles are amazing flyers and their aerial acrobatics are simply amazing; the air passing through their feathers when they dive sounds like a jet engine. This Eagle was photographed during my Eagles Galore Workshop using my Sony FE 400mm f/2.8 G Master OSS Lens at its maximum aperture to render the dark cliffs in the background as out-of-focus as possible to make the bird and the snowflakes pop.

Bald Eagle in blizzard

The excitement is always off-the-charts during my Eagles Galore workshop when we are out with the Eagles and it snows. I had our captain head straight to my favourite spot with dark cliffs to emphasize the snowflakes and I chose an aperture of f/2.8 to render the dark cliff in the background out of focus to make the Eagle pop.

Bald Eagles Grand Theft

Here are a couple of Bald Eagles fighting over a fish. You can see the frame before this image in a previous post: https://www.naturephotographyblog.com/blog/bald-eagles-fighting-over-fish.

Despite its fierce appearance, the bald eagle is a rather timid hunter. Usually found near water, it feeds mainly on fish, which it often steals from ospreys or other Eagles - smile.

Bald Eagle with breakfast

Here is a Bald Eagle with its fresh breakfast captured at first light on Kachemak Bay (near Homer), Alaska. I love the intensity of the stare! Captured with a Sony alpha 1 camera using bird-eye auto-focus and a Sony 600mm f/4 lens with a Sony 1.4 X Teleconverter. Join me in Alaska for my annual Bald Eagles Galore Workshop in March. There will be plenty of opportunities to make images of fishing Eagles - smile. Learn more HERE.

Bald Eagle Snowshoes

Exposing for snow

Exposing for the snow is so much easier than most photographers think: Simply set your camera to manual mode, select your desired shutter speed and aperture and then adjust the ISO until the in-camera light meter reads plus 1 & 2/3 while filling the frame with the white snow. Pop off a test image and see the histogram will be populated all the way to the right without touching - so easy!

Bald Eagle Frosty Stare

I am absolutely positive this Eagle was wondering what the heck I was doing belly crawling up to it in the snow. It let me get up to minimum focusing distance of the Sony 200-600mm lens which is 2.4 meters (7.87 feet). Which is close enough to have made a great full-frame image with an iPhone.

Bald Eagle Calling in Golden Light

A Bald Eagle calling in first light can be a goosebump-inducing moment. We had some pretty epic cloudy bright conditions for most of my first workshop but were looking forward to the “mostly sunny” forecast. We crossed the bay before sunrise, landed on the beach and waited for the sun to rise - smile!

For such a large bird, the Bald Eagle’s voice is surprisingly weak. Its call is compared to a snickering laugh and consists of seven or eight notes sounded quickly and haltingly in a way that sounds very laboured. It can be written to sound like ki-ki-ki-ki-ki-ki-ker.

Bald Eagle on the run

A Bald Eagle runs across a fresh blanket of snow with its wings spread wide. With a maximum wingspan of 2.44 m (88 in = more than 7 feet) there is no doubt that they are impressive raptors to get close to.

We were at the boat before sunrise and quickly sailed across Kachemak Bay in time for the Eagles on the fresh snow. As the light intensity grew through the clouds, the fresh blanket of snow reflected light to illuminate every detail on the Eagles dark feathers. “Snow as fill” is a term I coined about 30 years ago during an owl shoot - smile.

Bald Eagle Vertical Portrait

Those eyes! The eagle eye is among the sharpest in the animal kingdom, with an eyesight estimated at 4 to 8 times stronger than that of the average human. Although an eagle may only weigh 10 pounds (4.5 kg), its eyes are roughly the same size as those of a human. Eagles have a highly developed sense of sight which allows them to easily spot prey. Eagles have excellent 20/5 vision compared to an average human who only has 20/20 vision. This means Eagles can see things from 20 feet away that we can only see from 5 feet away.

Bald Eagle Landing in snow

A Bald Eagle landing in the snow during my Eagles Galore Workshop in Alaska. We had fresh snow reflecting the soft overcast light against the underside of the Eagles which resulted in some incredible details in the dark feathers.

Bald Eagle Calling

For such a large bird, the Bald Eagle’s voice is surprisingly weak. Its call is compared to a snickering laugh and consists of seven or eight notes sounded quickly and haltingly in a way that sounds very laboured. It can be written to sound like ki-ki-ki-ki-ki-ki-ker (Stalmaster, 1987). The function of this strange vocalization is unknown so further research on the function of the vocalization is needed. Young Bald Eagles make different sounds than adults. After hatching, the nestlings make a single-note tonal peep (Gilbert et al., 1981). As the bird ages, its sounds become more complex and have a greater volume variance and by day thirty of their life their call has similar characteristics to the adult Bald Eagles’ call even though there is no direct evidence that offspring learn their calls from adults (Buehler, 2000). Since there is no direct evidence, further research is needed to determine whether Bald Eagle song is learned or innate. To test this, scientists could raise a Bald Eagle in captivity without interaction with any other birds. They could then observe whether this Bald Eagle grew to have the same call as other adult Bald Eagles or if it was different or if it did not learn a call at all. The cheeping call of the nestling serves as a way to beg for food, an alarm call, and communication with adults (Kussman, 1977). After four weeks, the young Bald Eagles also develop wail and Peal calls. The peal call is often given in response to humans approaching the Bald Eagles and is a high-pitched cry that has three to five notes that sound like a gull followed by six or seven rapid notes. This peal is described to sound like, kwit-kwit-kwit-kwit-kee-kee-kee-kee-ker (Buehler, 2000). Another unique call the Bald Eagle is the call that females make when they are ready to mate. This sound is soft and high-pitched and repeated multiple times. The male also has a unique call that serves as a defence mechanism, it is a high-pitched peal to signal when other birds or humans approach. They will use this to fend off attacks at communal feeding sites also (Buehler, 2000). READ MORE HERE @ Vassar Collage The Gall Lab.

Join me for a dream Photo Tour: Eagles Galore March 5-9 or 10-14, 2023 in Homer, Alaska.

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE

🦅

Join me for a dream Photo Tour: Eagles Galore March 5-9 or 10-14, 2023 in Homer, Alaska. CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE 🦅

Bald Eagle with fresh fish

Here is a Bald Eagle with a freshly caught fish. That stare!

Every few years a story makes the rounds about a bald eagle carrying off a dog or trying to snatch someone’s cat. Biologists who study birds of prey and folks who live around eagles have seen plenty snatching and carrying – as well as swooping and swimming – and they offered insights into what eagles really can and cannot do.

Bald eagles are strong, aggressive birds but like everything that flies they are governed by aerodynamics. The wings of an eagle need to support the eight to 12-pound bird as well as whatever the bird is carrying, and best estimates put the lifting power of an eagle at four or five pounds. But it’s not quite that simple.

Lift is dependent not only on wing size, but on airspeed. The faster a bird (or plane) is flying, the greater the lift potential. An eagle that lands on the beach to grab a fish, and then takes off again, is limited to a smaller load than an eagle that swoops down at 20 or 30 miles an hour and snatches up a fish. That momentum and speed gives the bird the ability to carry more weight.

You can read more @ The Alaska Fish & Wildlife News HERE.

Bald Eagle BW Over The Top Big Sky

Something a little different: A black & white conversion of a Bald Eagle cartwheeling as it dives against a stormy sky. While I do shoot extremely tight images packed with visual impact most of the time, I do always think about shooting loosely framed images which traditionally don’t do as well on social media, but make much more pleasing images for my walls.

Langara College Photography Program

I recently presented to the professional photographers program at Langara College for Sony of Canada. There was a great turn-out and the show went on well beyond the scheduled end with some great questions from the students. Here is some of the feedback:

Email:

The fact that nearly everyone stayed longer than was scheduled, and that some of them stayed for nearly an hour later is a testament to what a great presentation it was. The fact that you were on there for an hour longer than necessary says something about you as a person. From my own personal perspective, I go to so many of these presentations every year that I’ve almost completely stopped taking notes. Last night I actually took a few notes and more importantly, I was inspired to get back out with my long lenses. Thank you.

- Eric Stewart Instructor/Photography Chair Langara College

Group Chat:

Thank you Chris! I learnt a lot and plan to do more research on local birds here! - Catherine S



Amazing photos and useful info I learn a lot thanks. - Jas



I have to get going, thank you very much for the marvellous presentation! Lots of fantastic information and the images were absolutely breathtaking. Hope you have a fantastic rest of your evening! - Iulia Munteanu



Thank you Chris , it was amazing 👌🏼 - Tabatabaei



Thank you Chris for sharing your knowledge and remarkable photography. - Darren Bernaerdt



Thank you for a fantastic presentation! - cross



It’s wonderful to hear the stories behind your images. thanks for all the details. - Sara



Thank you for a great presentation Chris! - Tomo Tanaka


Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge with us, your work is absolutely incredible! - Sarah Fleming



Thanks very much, Chris beautiful images. Sorry I have to leave. Thanks Sony for sponsoring. - Catharine O'Brien-Bell



Thank you for this amazing presentation! I love all your images Chris, thank you for sharing! Great evening everyone! - Jessica Dávila



Thank you so much for sharing! Your work is absolutely stunning! - Lauren Eely



Much appreciated! Brilliant work. - Cody



thank you so much - Jas



Thank you Chris and LANGARA College for this great opportunity. - alejcim



Thank you Sony for sponsoring Chris -Tomo Tanaka



Thank you very much! This was so interesting and great to listen to!! I really enjoyed - Parker Shaw

Instagram:

Thank you. Excellent presentation. @clivecamm

I really enjoyed your Langara/Sony zoom today. I learned a lot. Your photos are inspiring. - @nancy.w.caldwell

This was a fantastic talk. Thanks for making it available! - @kissdust

Wicked fun way to relax after class, thank you @langaraphoto, @chrisdoddsphoto - @iuliamphotography

Langara College

The Professional Photography program at Langara College is a two-year diploma offering hands-on, comprehensive training that provides graduates with the skills to achieve success in a career in the photographic industry. Students have access to a wide range of specialized photographic equipment and are supported by faculty and staff representing a diverse range of experience. This program is intensive and provides the opportunity to develop a comprehensive portfolio.

Students will apply technical and artistic skills to practical projects that are typical of the industry. Studio time is provided to complete the assignments and master the skills necessary to succeed in the photographic industry. This is further enhanced by field trips and regular visits from current industry professionals.

The continuing studies certificate program at Langara College is one of the largest, most comprehensive part-time photography programs in Canada. It is designed for all types of students, including beginner photographers, passionate hobbyists, and those interested in pursuing a career in professional photography. The instructors are working professionals who are committed to helping students refine their photography skills and foster creativity.

Bald Eagle Singing Praise

I have been busy making presentations to The Lakeshore Camera Club (Montreal) and the Club de photo de Boisbriand (Boisbriand). Sony of Canada has graciously sponsored these events and I have received a pile of great feedback!

Emails:

Thank-you for a wonderful evening!  Not only were the photos beautiful to see, but when you added the stories behind them that explained how they were taken, that added even more depth to them.  You added just the right amount of photography gear info, balanced with tips, and the wise advice for us to practice our technique.

On behalf of LCC, thank-you for the more than generous sharing of your time, and knowledge tonight.  I look forward to the day when I can meet you in person, but in the meantime, please add me to your mail list. - Stephen Shimizu

Hi Christopher, young lad!

It was a great pleasure last evening to cross your path again, young lad. Your presentation was fantastic, both with your awesome photos and your very instructive explanations. My only regret is that I had to leave the room at 22 h for personal reasons. A buddy of mine sent me an email this morning saying that the meeting ended at 23 h 15, which is exceptional.

I am a member of the Lakeshore Camera Club since 2008, and I can tell you that you’re among the TOP presenters that we have had over the years. One of your traits is that, notwithstanding the extreme quality of your images, you are very generous of your time and explanations.

I still have fond memories of our week together in Maine in 2010 as well as the trip itself, … (CHRIS: Moose Photography Workshop in Baxter State Park, Maine)

I thank you very so much, Christopher, and wish you many more fruitful and exciting years as a professional photographer. - Serge Gagné

Good morning Christopher,

That was an amazing, inspirational, educational and fun evening.

I was not expecting so much transfer of knowledge from last night. I made notes to go check some of my camera settings (newly acquired Nikon Z6 as I had Nikon lenses).

I am one of those awkward learners you were mentioning last night. I know I have to ask questions and get out to practice, practice, practice. You inspired me to go out more even in these times (alone). I do go out, yet I’m not playing/fully understanding my settings. So I got it last night. I understand the histogram which I use all the time, however, you added a new dimension that I don’t do, bringing the black to the middle to get the details while not blowing out the whites which I do often especially when I was in the Calanques in Southern France in the middle of the day.

Well, all this to say, from my perspective you have been the number 1 speaker/presenter so far this fall. We do have Freeman Paterson over the course of the year so that is no small comment. I guess it is different work and maybe my attraction to animals (not necessarily birds – probably because I’m not a good bird photographer) is what makes it more incredible.

Well, enough of the rambling, great evening and until our paths cross again.

Be safe. - Monique Pampel

Good morning Christopher,

Last evening I was a new member with L.C.C. "new member that joined the club an hour prior to your presentation"

I would like to express my sincere thanks for your great presentation last evening.

It was wonderful to listen to you sharing generously, being candid with information and tips as well as your experiences and anecdotes…….. - Jean-Louis Rousselle

From Facebook:

Fantastic presentation last night at the LCC. I loved it a lot. - Hans Kandert

From Instagram:

Thanks for an amazing presentation last night with Lakeshore CC. I learned a lot and will be trying your recommendations for exposing to the right of the histogram on my next outing. I have an A7II and a 70-300 G zoom. I also use a canon 24-105 from my old 5D Mk1 kit with the MC-11 adapter. I was interested to hear you are originally a "Northerner." I am also from the north of England, Buxton in the Peak District, and have been here since 1980. Take care. - Stephen Johnson

From the live chat:

World-class presentation! Thanks Fauna Chairs! - Ron Harper

Incredibly informative and fascinating presentation, Chris. thank you so much! - Marianna Armata

Those are amazing images. - Norm Horner

Thanks! Great Tips! - Walter Santelli

What a great tip. Thanks. - Norm Horner

Absolutely amazing images. - Eleen Webb

What a great presentation..Superb... - Muslim Harji

It's absolutely FANTASTIC, Chris! Very beautiful images and very instructive. Many, many thanks! - Serge Gagné

10 800 hours of practice, according to Malcolm Gladwell. It applies to The Beatles, concert pianists and wildlife photographers. - Norm Horner

great - Gabriel Berberian

Wow!!! Fantastic instruction, Chris!!! - Serge Gagné

Wow stunning. - Paula

so beautiful! - Min Qian

That Ile Bizard owl image is really stunning. - Norm Horner

All his owl photos are incredible. Lots of valuable info. - lorid

Amazing images and fantastic commentary and tips. Really appreciate Chris sharing his wealth of wisdom with the club. - Chris Kanters

Amazing presentation. Thank you Chris. - Ann Arial

Thanks to our Fauna Group for organizing this excellent evening with Chris Dodds. His images were amazing and his advice was great (for me, histograms). - Norm Horner

Very educational. Great presentation! - Walter Santelli

Wow! - Pierre Laviolette

Bravo! - Stewart Harding

Wow! Great presentation! - Elaine Chubry

So wonderful work and presentation and so clear explanations. I do not remember when I learned so much. Thanks Chris - Maria Korab-Laskowska

unbelievable! - Andreas Orfanos

Awesome presentation! - Marg Foley

Sensational! - Paula

Amazing! Thanks for the stories, too. - Ruth Boisvert-Blair

Excellent presentation, beautiful photos.Thanks. - Debbie Wright

Wonderful presentation. \\\\ - ry

excellent, merci, j'ai appris pleins de trucs - Jean-Marc Legentil

Terrific presentation. Thanks for sharing Chris - ry

Bald Eagle Winterscape

I’ve long been wary about joining a workshop with a “big name” pro. I’ve heard (and witnessed) a litany of workshop horrors, ranging from egomaniac leaders to unwieldy, unhappy groups. Plus, as a professional photographer, I did not think that I would learn much from a workshop. Indeed, I teach photography and postproduction.

Chris Dodds’ Eagles Galore workshop changed my mind. Although he is a supremely talented photographer, Chris is approachable and friendly, and he works tirelessly to make sure that everyone in the group has a fantastic experience. He limits the workshops to a small, manageable size. And, in spite of my I’m-a-professional-and-don’t-need-help attitude, I am a better photographer for having joined the workshop. After spending a week with Chris, my flight photography is materially improved. (Chris is an expert on the nuances of servo autofocus, for example.) Chris also taught several useful post-production techniques that I now use routinely in my workflow.

The true measure of any photo trip, however, is the photos. Chris’ stated goal is for every workshop participant to go home with images that Chris would be proud to call his own. He means it. The eagle photography was fantastic. I came home with several dozen “portfolio grade” images, plus thousands of strong shots. Indeed, the single biggest complaint from my fellow workshop participants is the number of eagle shots that they had to sort through when they got home.

I’ve already registered for another workshop with Chris.

Andrew Kelley Denver, Colorado USA

Bald Eagle LOCK-ON

“I love Alaska and had been dreaming of taking an Eagle photography workshop and decided to sign up with Chris. I am so glad I chose Chris for a lot of reasons. The workshop was very well organized. Chris provides the attendees with a list of suggested clothing to be sure you are comfortable in the Alaskan winter weather. He provided us with a list of suggested equipment so that we knew exactly what was needed to get the kind of photos posted on his workshop page. The group was limited to 5 attendees, so we each had ample opportunity to get feedback and suggestions from Chris. Chris is extremely knowledgable about Kachemak Bay and knows where to go to get the best shots depending on the wind and the weather, and whether there is sun or snow. Chris uses the same boat and captain for this workshop, so the captain knows exactly what Chris wants to do and how to get us into those best areas…. Chris believes in safety above all else, but snow, sleet and rain did not keep us from going out. In fact, it made for some great photos depicting the Alaskan winter eagle environment. It was an amazing trip and I got a lot of great photos and learned so much! I would definitely choose Chris for another birding workshop as he is dedicated to doing everything he can to make sure you come home with lots of amazing photographs! Thanks, Chris, for a fantastic workshop and wonderful adventure!”

— Jessica Duke Eagle Nest, NM, USA

Save the date! I will be hosting a presentation at The Camera Store sponsored by Sony of Canada on Dec. 9, 2020 at 19:00 MST. The event is free and open to all. Register HERE.

Bald Eagle

I recently returned from Chris’s Eagle Workshop in Homer Alaska. Over the years, I have traveled extensively and can say without hesitating that this was the best trip I’ve ever been on. Chris is a very cordial but no nonsense guy. Everything about the trip was organized to the max. I’ve been photographing wildlife for 35 years and thought I had a pretty good idea about how to do it so I wasn’t expecting to learn a whole lot that was new. Wrong! Over the years, other “professionals” had encouraged me to shoot in aperture priority or auto ISO. When Chris told us he was going to teach us to set our camera exposures manually, I thought that sounded like a lot of unnecessary effort. That notion turned out to be false. If you attend this workshop and don’t already shoot in manual mode, your life will be changed. The exposures of the photos I took are spot on and better than any I have ever achieved.

In addition to the new material I learned, the “eagle shooting” was beyond anything one could ever imagine. It was both action packed and challenging. Our group was only five people and Chris bent over backward to make sure that each of us got the best photos of our lives. Even though I had substantial problems with my equipment, I now have more killer eagle photos than I could have ever hoped for. If you want an informative and fun packed trip, I encourage you to sign up for this or any of Chris’s workshops. I have signed up again for next year’s Eagle Workshop, in spite of my truck load of eagle photos, which I believe tells the whole story.”

— Ron Brown Colorado USA