INCREDIBLE POWERFUL OSPREYS CAPTURED DIVING IN PURSUIT OF PREY
Photographer Mark Smith is well versed in wildlife photography and particularly bird photography. Birds of prey are his specialty and the osprey features prominently in many of his photographs and videos. Smith enjoys watching these majestic birds as they dive into the water hoping to bring delicious fish.
As a photographer, Smith draws inspiration from the unbridled determination of these birds. When hunting, ospreys dive from heights of up to 100 feet and submerge in water. Their anatomy helps them fight for food as they have spikes called spicules on the undersides of their fingers. Smith can capture everything in stunning detail, and his time-lapse videos of hunting these birds have garnered a following on Instagram.
"There are many things that go into shooting an osprey while hunting," he tells My Modern Met. "You have to be in the right place at the right time. You must be able to read and understand the bird's behavior. You need to have the right photography equipment and know how to use it properly.”
Smith clearly understands all of these things. His videos show both successes and near misses by these birds of prey. The sportiness of the osprey is fascinating to watch.