When Canadian photographer Steve Biro visited the Canadian Raptor Conservancy in May 2019, he knew he was going to get a few awesome shots of the resident eagles, but he never imagined he would be thrown into the global spotlight in a matter of days [1] after capturing the perfect bald eagle photo.
Biro is a hobbyist photographer who enjoys capturing natural scenes and wildlife. One particularly majestic bald eagle, Bruce, caught his attention that day and Biro set out taking hundreds of photos of the high flyer. He ended up capturing one of the most stunning shots of an eagle ever taken, just when the bird’s wings were perfectly symmetrical in flight and glazing over the surface of a still pond. The eagle was terrifyingly stunning, staring intently into the camera as if he’d paused mid-flight for the shot.
Speaking to BBC News, Biro says he could never have imagined how much people would love his amazing shot of Bruce.
“He’s squared up perfectly, both wings are touching the water,” he told the BBC [2]. “That [photograph] was the one that struck me as a little more special than the others. But I still didn’t even know how it would resonate with people.”
Territorial Bruce
When the photo eventually made it to Reddit’s front page after it hit Facebook, it was widely reposted by several media outlets and websites in a matter of days.
Biro also captured a slow-motion video of the beautiful bird in flight, surrounded by several other photographers clicking away as he dove through the air to rest on his favorite rock.
Biro shared the video on Facebook with the caption, “Hi everyone, here’s a slow-motion vid of the Eagle coming across the water at the Canadian Raptor conservancy yesterday. The Eagle was literally flying inches over my head where I was sitting, it was an amazing experience!” So far, since 2019, the video has garnered over 528,000 views and 1,500 shares on Biro’s page only.
Bruce was quite territorial toward the photographers. According to Biro, the birds at the conservancy are rarely bothered by the presence of people, but Bruce was unhappy with Biro for taking over his special rock. When Biro finally got up from the rock, the bird quickly dove down from a higher perch to claim his throne.
“He was actually trying to brush me away from where I was perched,” he said. “I could feel the breeze from his wings as he flew over me. The other people who were there were gasping as he came over my head. It was really quite exhilarating.”
For Biro, birds are the real deal
Biro says he’s been a lover of photography for the past 10 years and would capture “nature pics, landscapes, city pics, I love it all. I try to look at it like I’m in awe of it all the time, and in wonder of it.”
However, birds are his true calling.
“There’s something about birds that to me is captivating,” Mr. Biro said. “The way they hunt, the way they interact. Sometimes you’ll see them do things. They’ll be playful, just like children. It’s amazing how you’ll see aspects of humanity in birds – and in animals overall.”
Steve wrote a heartfelt message of appreciation to all his friends and fans on Facebook when his photo was featured by the India Times, Fine Art America, CTV News Canada, Lad Bible, CBC, USA Today, Bored Panda, amongst dozens of other media outlets.
“The worldwide recognition of my image continues to surprise me, thank you everyone so much again for all the love, cheers!”
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