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Photographer’s Photos Of Ospreys In Hunting Mode Show How Calculated Everything In Nature Is
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Photographer’s Photos Of Ospreys In Hunting Mode Show How Calculated Everything In Nature Is

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Watching the majestic osprey soar through the sky is a sight to behold. It takes a professional photographer to shoot pictures of them when they’re flying. And an even better artist to get photos of them when they’re in the middle of hunting.

Enter Chen Chengguang, a Taiwanese photographer who takes artistic photos of birds. Some of his best bird photography work involves immortalizing ospreys with his camera lens. Especially his chronophotographs where pics of ospreys diving toward their prey are taken in several frames and then composited into one image.

Scroll down and enjoy Chen’s stunning pictures. Be sure to take a look at the rest of his photos on his Instagram account: they are gorgeous. And if you’re still in need of some more majestically beautiful bird content, have a read through Bored Panda’s post about gigantic harpy eagles.

More info: Instagram

Photographer Chen Chengguang took some incredible pictures of ospreys in the middle of hunting

Image credits: joinus12345

Image credits: joinus12345

Image credits: joinus12345

According to Chen, he has been “obsessed” with shooting photos of birds for a long while. His goal is to show “the most beautiful aspects” of flight. He points out that his work as a photographer is full of “toil, frustration, excitement,” but that all of this is worth it because it makes him feel like he achieved something.

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Chen uses a technique called chronophotography to create frame-by-frame composite images

Image credits: joinus12345

Image credits: joinus12345

Image credits: joinus12345

Over 209,000 people on Instagram follow Chen and wait for his incredible photos of wildlife. It’s clear why: the shots are aesthetic, colorful, and present a new and exciting way of looking at birds.

After osprey catch fish, they orient them headfirst to minimize wind resistance

Image credits: joinus12345

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Image credits: joinus12345

Image credits: joinus12345

Ospreys live up to 30 years in the wild, according to National Geographic. They almost exclusively feast on fish-flesh. In fact, fish make up 99 percent of their diet. That’s some serious pescetarianism right there (minus the veggies).

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Truly majestic

Image credits: joinus12345

Image credits: joinus12345

Image credits: joinus12345

These birds of prey mostly live around bodies of water because of their diets. Their bodies are perfect for hunting fish: they have curved claws and pads on their feet, which means their prey has little chance of escaping.

Osprey have curved claws and pads on their feet that are perfect for catching fish

Image credits: joinus12345

Image credits: joinus12345

Ospreys dive to the water’s surface from 30 to 100 feet (9 to 30 meters) in the air. That’s incredible! What’s almost equally as cool is that when an osprey flies with a fish in its talons, it orients it headfirst to reduce wind resistance.

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These birds’ diets consist of 99 percent fish

Image credits: joinus12345

Image credits: joinus12345

The osprey population in the US was in danger back in the 1950s when their natural habitats were polluted with chemicals. Fortunately, they overcame that challenge and increased their population in some locations.

Chen’s photos received plenty of compliments

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nanz1956 avatar
NanZ
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

There are no words to describe how extraordinary this group of photos is! They truly are beautiful and powerful birds and your photos have captured that better than I have ever seen before!

bpbperic avatar
Night Owl
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Awesome and so beautiful! I watched ski jumping today but this is even more elegant

s_l_high0 avatar
sh
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The fact that they turn the fish "face first" to reduce wind resistance blows my mind. So intelligent.

kennykulbiski avatar
Kenny Kulbiski
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Amazing. I've seen these birds working in real time but they've so fast all I could see was swoop and splash.

weimcentral avatar
Weim Central
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The star formation of the talons before impact is perfection. Great photos!

buzzjane avatar
Jane Thorne-Gutierrez
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We are in Tarpon Springs, Fla. Watching a nesting Osprey daily as she flies right overhead and catches her food in the inlet off our balcony. Just observing them is mesmerizing and these pictures are incredible!

billramsdell avatar
oddball0626
Community Member
4 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush, how much is a bird with two fish in it's hand worth?

johnc_1 avatar
John C
Community Member
4 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Really awesome photos! Tho I have to admit - before I clicked into the article, the "bait" pics had me thinking there were multiple birds working together, pulling each other out of the water, maybe doing some deep dives or something. That would be cool...

thomaslnudd avatar
rehabisforquitters
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Those appear to be Asian Carp or another kind of Carp it has within the talons. Even this predatory bird is doing its part to rid freshwater lakes of these invasive species. Too bad it's only one or two at a time.

dani_2525 avatar
Danielle Renee
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

fantastic photos! i'm fortunate to see these birds where i live on a weekly basis. it's always a thrill to see one fly by with a catch. a truly beautiful bird.

deriansyah avatar
Simple Yaki
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

they look like when you accidentally dropped your food from your hand and trying to catch it before it fell to the ground

jksimm515 avatar
Koalamonster
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Seriously- birds are terrifying. Obviously little ones aren't as scary, but still. They are amazing, the way that they're set up to do things like this with such skill is mind boggling. They're still so scary though.

lidasellers avatar
Lida Sellers
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Absolutely unbelievable! Magnificent photos of a magnificent raptor. So beautiful and so glad the pictures were shared.

thomascook avatar
Thomas. C
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I love how majestic birds are. God made creatures that can fly which in my opinion is the best type of animal... the flying type.... because they can do this an also sour through the sky and threw the heavens and look at the world were some animals cant and there lucky to fly cause they get to see the beautiful sky and earth

bettywilma avatar
gabbyhansard104 avatar
G13
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Don't be so condescending to people who are just making average comments, it's obnoxious. Thanks!

Load More Replies...
nanz1956 avatar
NanZ
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

There are no words to describe how extraordinary this group of photos is! They truly are beautiful and powerful birds and your photos have captured that better than I have ever seen before!

bpbperic avatar
Night Owl
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Awesome and so beautiful! I watched ski jumping today but this is even more elegant

s_l_high0 avatar
sh
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The fact that they turn the fish "face first" to reduce wind resistance blows my mind. So intelligent.

kennykulbiski avatar
Kenny Kulbiski
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Amazing. I've seen these birds working in real time but they've so fast all I could see was swoop and splash.

weimcentral avatar
Weim Central
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The star formation of the talons before impact is perfection. Great photos!

buzzjane avatar
Jane Thorne-Gutierrez
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We are in Tarpon Springs, Fla. Watching a nesting Osprey daily as she flies right overhead and catches her food in the inlet off our balcony. Just observing them is mesmerizing and these pictures are incredible!

billramsdell avatar
oddball0626
Community Member
4 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush, how much is a bird with two fish in it's hand worth?

johnc_1 avatar
John C
Community Member
4 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Really awesome photos! Tho I have to admit - before I clicked into the article, the "bait" pics had me thinking there were multiple birds working together, pulling each other out of the water, maybe doing some deep dives or something. That would be cool...

thomaslnudd avatar
rehabisforquitters
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Those appear to be Asian Carp or another kind of Carp it has within the talons. Even this predatory bird is doing its part to rid freshwater lakes of these invasive species. Too bad it's only one or two at a time.

dani_2525 avatar
Danielle Renee
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

fantastic photos! i'm fortunate to see these birds where i live on a weekly basis. it's always a thrill to see one fly by with a catch. a truly beautiful bird.

deriansyah avatar
Simple Yaki
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

they look like when you accidentally dropped your food from your hand and trying to catch it before it fell to the ground

jksimm515 avatar
Koalamonster
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Seriously- birds are terrifying. Obviously little ones aren't as scary, but still. They are amazing, the way that they're set up to do things like this with such skill is mind boggling. They're still so scary though.

lidasellers avatar
Lida Sellers
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Absolutely unbelievable! Magnificent photos of a magnificent raptor. So beautiful and so glad the pictures were shared.

thomascook avatar
Thomas. C
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I love how majestic birds are. God made creatures that can fly which in my opinion is the best type of animal... the flying type.... because they can do this an also sour through the sky and threw the heavens and look at the world were some animals cant and there lucky to fly cause they get to see the beautiful sky and earth

bettywilma avatar
gabbyhansard104 avatar
G13
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Don't be so condescending to people who are just making average comments, it's obnoxious. Thanks!

Load More Replies...
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