Great Gray Owl

Gallery: AvianPosted December 14, 2010460 views15 comments

Great Gray Owl (Strix nebulosa, Chouette Lapone) Ontario, Canada. Image Copyright ©Christopher Dodds www.chrisdoddsphoto.com All Rights Reserved - digitally watermarked.

Canon EOS 1D Mark II, 100-400mm @ 320mm. ISO 400, F5.6 1/1600s Manual Exposure.

One from a very overcast day....

Be Brutal...

Comments

15 comments

Comment posted by Carol Hyman on December 14, 2010 at 9:40 PM

Hi Christopher, The lighting looks good; however, the bird looks as though he's coming smack-dab at me from every direction. I know full well it happens but I don't think the clipped wings really help the Owl in this image.

Cheers,

Carol

Registered on January 18, 2007, 597 Posts, 8062 Comments

Comment posted by Angela McCain on December 14, 2010 at 10:30 PM

Nice image. This missing wing feathers and they tail kind of echo each other in their outline.

Registered on April 19, 2009, 367 Posts, 3589 Comments

Comment posted by Dennis Plank on December 14, 2010 at 10:33 PM

I love the in-your-face look of this one, Chris. The pale plumage works well against the pale sky. The only thing that would improve this to me is if the talons were showing-but I doubt it was taking direction very well.

Registered on January 28, 2008, 1767 Posts, 23192 Comments

Comment posted by Avi Hirschfield on December 14, 2010 at 11:42 PM

Great head on shot the cropped wings dont bother me .Truly an excellent shot

Registered on November 1, 2003, 518 Posts, 2114 Comments

Comment posted by Karen Summers on December 15, 2010 at 6:40 AM

I love this the eyes are fantastic

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

Comment posted by Danny Laredo on December 15, 2010 at 7:38 AM

Stunning image. Love the eye contact and flight pose.
Love the framing.

Registered on March 18, 2008, 71 Posts, 332 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Teller on December 15, 2010 at 10:21 AM

I like the feeling that the image gives of the owl is almost ready to land in my lap. Great image. I am envious. I have never seen a Great Gray. We drove to Alaska last summer and I really wanted one, but no luck.

Registered on August 23, 2010, 1162 Posts, 6692 Comments

Comment posted by David E Lester on December 15, 2010 at 3:34 PM

Love it!! Great head on shot!!

Registered on March 24, 2010, 155 Posts, 793 Comments

Comment posted by Michael Lotito on December 15, 2010 at 9:17 PM

Incoming! Really captures this beautiful predator.

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

Comment posted by May Haga on December 16, 2010 at 12:58 PM

Pretty incredible to catch the owl coming at you face one. I have yet to see one but it is one my list for this winter!!
May

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

Comment posted by Jim DeWitt on December 16, 2010 at 1:26 PM

It's technically impressive, but the shot seems a bit chaotic to me. Partly it's all the missing feathers - Great Grey's molt this time of the year? - and the odd angles. I dunno. And I can't escape the feeling the bird was baited. If I'm wrong, I apologize in advance.

Registered on August 28, 2006, 1240 Posts, 8506 Comments

Comment posted by Geoffrey Baker on December 16, 2010 at 1:56 PM

An excellent capture, you did very well with it coming straight at you

Geoff.

Registered on August 20, 2010, 192 Posts, 980 Comments

Comment posted by Bob McQuade on December 17, 2010 at 2:13 PM

Wow, great shot! Clipped wings are incidental, the eyes make the shot

Registered on October 8, 2009, 214 Posts, 432 Comments

Comment posted by Derrick Lipinski on December 17, 2010 at 8:03 PM

A very cool comp, Christopher. I certainly wouldn't want to be the little rodent.

Registered on October 5, 2007, 58 Posts, 2039 Comments

Comment posted by Robert Bunch on December 31, 2010 at 11:06 AM

Super! Love the intensity of the stare, the tight crop and even the missing feathers.

Registered on May 18, 2004, 124 Posts, 2503 Comments