Owls!!

Appreciate your critique. Will look hard at this image and the rest of the series...thanks!

Will in Tejas wrote in post #18720581
I use to live on 34 wooded acres and shot this in the front yard. Barred owl.

IMAGE LINK: https://photos.smugmug​.com …608779501-X2.jpg&lb=1&s=A on Smugmug

Super nice shot, Bill.

Will in Tejas wrote in post #18720581
I use to live on 34 wooded acres and shot this in the front yard. Barred owl.

IMAGE LINK: https://photos.smugmug​.com …608779501-X2.jpg&lb=1&s=A on Smugmug

Isn't it great when the critters come to you?

Lame-Duck wrote in post #18721750
Super nice shot, Bill.

Thank you Mike.

This thread has been quiet for a while. So I guess it's time to post something. How about this one. I call it "Eye Contact".

NorthernFocus wrote in post #18725633

Amazing photo, but what a stunning bird.
Really nice.

NorthernFocus wrote in post #18725633
This thread has been quiet for a while. So I guess it's time to post something. How about this one. I call it "Eye Contact".

10/10. Where was it taken?

avondale87 wrote in post #18725645
...what a stunning bird...

They are beautiful birds for sure.

Spencerphoto wrote in post #18725693
...Where was it taken?

Taken in Ontario last January.

This was a very patient bird. Maybe because conditions were so bad that she preferred staying grounded

I processed the two images slightly differently. The light was changing a lot as a snowstorm blew through the area and there is a 2EV difference in the original exposures. In post I used opposite techniques to try and pull the bird out of the BG. There's a reason they're called "ghost of the north". Opinions on the differences are welcome.

1) Muted highlights.

NorthernFocus wrote in post #18726864
This was a very patient bird. Maybe because conditions were so bad that she preferred staying grounded

Stunning bird, really beautiful.

Dan I'd take the top one as my no 1.
But that's knowing (limited knowledge) what these birds are about.
They melt into the surroundings so let that be, adds to the feeling of being there, with that magnificent beauty.

Depends what you want to depict. Bird features or bird in its environs.
I'm a 'latter bloke' so tempers my thoughts.
That's my 2 bobs worth.

avondale87 wrote in post #18726975
Stunning bird, really beautiful.

Dan I'd take the top one as my no 1.
But that's knowing (limited knowledge) what these birds are about.
They melt into the surroundings so let that be, adds to the feeling of being there, with that magnificent beauty.

Depends what you want to depict. Bird features or bird in its environs.
I'm a 'latter bloke' so tempers my thoughts.
That's my 2 bobs worth.

Thanks for the comments, Richard. I like the one with the talons showing too. With many birds the dorsal view with look-back works best IMO but in this case there's not a big difference in back and breast. Generally I lean towards filling the frame, isolating the bird, and revealing as much detail as possible. Unless I can't get close enough then I'm all about the surroundings.

I think as shown here depicts the difference in lighting at the time of capture. But I may diddle with the lighting again on the first shot just to explore the possibilities.

SEOs

Love the SEOs.

NorthernFocus wrote in post #18726864
This was a very patient bird. Maybe because conditions were so bad that she preferred staying grounded

I processed the two images slightly differently. The light was changing a lot as a snowstorm blew through the area and there is a 2EV difference in the original exposures. In post I used opposite techniques to try and pull the bird out of the BG. There's a reason they're called "ghost of the north". Opinions on the differences are welcome.

1) Muted highlights.

2) Lifted whitepoint.

I prefer the muted.