Short-eared Owl male

Gallery: AvianPosted November 18, 2010492 views23 comments

Asio flammeus

This image was created in Montana at Red Rock Lakes NWR in June. The male owl had been hunting to bring food in for the chicks in the nest and after he dropped off the prey he landed on top of this sagebrush and rested for a bit. It was early in the morning when the light still wasn't the best (it never really was the best that day), I like the soft light though.

D200, f6.3, 1/320, ISO 320, 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, +0.3 EV comp, natural light, not baited and not a set up. 60% of the original image. Larger version provided.

As always, I sincerely appreciate your comments & critiques. Thank you for looking and evaluating my images.

Comments

23 comments

Comment posted by Dan Moore on November 18, 2010 at 7:34 PM

Your Owl shots are always wonderfull and this is no exception. I am going to have to try slowing my shutter speed and see what happens for me.

Dan

Registered on February 11, 2010, 143 Posts, 1248 Comments

Comment posted by Brian Scott on November 18, 2010 at 7:41 PM

I just love these SEO's. great eye contact, well captured

Registered on September 19, 2010, 13 Posts, 34 Comments

Comment posted by Rohn B. McKee on November 18, 2010 at 8:14 PM

A beautiful and unique pose. Excellent exposure as always.

Registered on November 18, 2008, 109 Posts, 415 Comments

Comment posted by Ron Bielefeld on November 18, 2010 at 8:19 PM

Love the habitat in this shot Mia. These owls are such a great looking species. I would love to get a chance at shooting them some day.

Registered on December 6, 2008, 360 Posts, 7132 Comments

Comment posted by Gary Marquart on November 18, 2010 at 8:21 PM

Very nice Mia, I like the subdued colors here, the habitat, and of course those eyes. Personally, I think I like this shot better than the on the posts shots. Probably because I like to see habitat in photos ( as long as it isn't distracting ) , and I don't feel like I'm straining my eyes looking through the fog trying to see the detail in this one.

Registered on October 24, 2009, 126 Posts, 799 Comments

Comment posted by Kirk Greene on November 18, 2010 at 8:24 PM

Another excellent SEO image. Montana provided some great opportunities for you and you made the most of them.

Registered on May 12, 2004, 191 Posts, 1578 Comments

Comment posted by Steve Balke on November 18, 2010 at 8:41 PM

I too like the soft light, Mia. The delicate grasses and the owl peering straight at us are also strong attributes of this image.

Registered on June 18, 2009, 229 Posts, 2915 Comments

Comment posted by Luke Ormand on November 18, 2010 at 8:49 PM

Killer SEO. We have these in my parts during the winter but have not been lucky enough to find one... love the setting, the look the bird is giving you and even though it's a male it appears to have big beautiful eyelashes (which of course are just feathers around the facial disk)

Registered on February 4, 2009, 1093 Posts, 7035 Comments

Comment posted by Brian Gatlin on November 18, 2010 at 9:25 PM

wow... really cool. great pose with the eye contact and raised tail. nice setting, and the light is just fine for me. This seems like a great location for photography. For comp, I think I'd prefer just a hair more room on the bottom, but only a hair.

Registered on March 21, 2009, 202 Posts, 4187 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Ditch on November 18, 2010 at 10:30 PM

I love it as posted. The soft light is very nice.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 1031 Posts, 12705 Comments

Comment posted by Randy Bacon on November 18, 2010 at 10:38 PM

What an intense looking bird Mia - gorgeous. I particularly like the 3D aspects of the perch and the elements of the BG, provides a sense of depth and a real sense of place. I can only wish for a capture like this. The image seems slightly dark to me, I wonder if lightening just a little might add some more pop? Regardless this is a beautiful image.

Registered on November 24, 2008, 56 Posts, 492 Comments

Comment posted by Karen Summers on November 19, 2010 at 6:10 AM

gorgeous image love the stare and the pose the light is lovely to

Registered on December 3, 2009, 83 Posts, 818 Comments

Comment posted by Andy Shepherd on November 19, 2010 at 6:44 AM

Super shot, Mia. I'll be photographing SEO's this weekend and I'll be well pleased to come away with a shot as good as this.

Andy...

Registered on September 24, 2006, 123 Posts, 1254 Comments

Comment posted by Ron Dudley on November 19, 2010 at 8:54 AM

Mia, I love this image (as you already know). The sagebrush perch for this species couldn't be a better one IMO and the directional but soft light has had an appealing effect on the owl. The image doesn't seem too dark to me at all and your placement of the bird in the frame couldn't be better for my tastes. Great setting and wonderful shot.

Registered on March 30, 2007, 437 Posts, 10915 Comments

Comment posted by KC Choo on November 19, 2010 at 10:25 AM

This is ever so nice, Mia! Well done.

Registered on November 15, 2004, 519 Posts, 8278 Comments

Comment posted by Darren Colello on November 19, 2010 at 2:24 PM

This is a wonderful short-eared owl image Mia. I love the environment as well. For me, simply stunning all around. Well done.

Registered on July 27, 2009, 175 Posts, 1100 Comments

Comment posted by Charles Gangas on November 19, 2010 at 4:36 PM

I love the eye contact here Mia, the owl has such a presents about him. And the light, although not perfect for your tastes, is superb.

Registered on August 12, 2009, 544 Posts, 2414 Comments

Comment posted by Michael Lotito on November 19, 2010 at 5:48 PM

Stunning as always Mia! Let's hop my GHO's give me a photo 1/2 as good as this!

Registered on June 26, 2009, 181 Posts, 1558 Comments

Comment posted by Sally King on November 19, 2010 at 7:22 PM

Amazing image. I love the soft light and the environment in which you have found him. Definitely up to your normal extremely professional standards. Wish I could see one of these.

Registered on December 2, 2008, 416 Posts, 4450 Comments

Comment posted by Nate Chappell on November 19, 2010 at 9:31 PM

Sweet to get him on sage brush like this Mia, really nice detail too despite the low light.

Registered on February 1, 2006, 1158 Posts, 19528 Comments

Comment posted by Rob Drummond on November 19, 2010 at 11:26 PM

Just beautiful Mia - the setting, perch, wisps of grass, even light.......... Plus it's an owl in the daytime!!!!!

cheers
Rob

Registered on November 8, 2003, 617 Posts, 8267 Comments

Comment posted by Howard Cheek on November 20, 2010 at 8:57 AM

Love the soft light, perfect exposure Mia.
Heck, I like everything about it!

Beautiful work

Registered on July 24, 2008, 1201 Posts, 10758 Comments

Comment posted by May Haga on November 21, 2010 at 10:56 AM

Another beauty Mia.
May

Registered on February 22, 2007, 714 Posts, 8470 Comments