Barn Owl

Gallery: AvianPosted February 1, 2011267 views28 comments

Had a great time watching and photographing the barn owls. Had been so used to using 400 ISO because the light had been a bit hit and miss when we had this great moment when the light was the best we had had, I stupidly got carried away with the moment and left the settings the same, could have kicked myself because I could have used 100 ISO and its been a while since I have been able to do that.Still it was a great moment I had with these beauties, got so many images.

Canon 1DMK4, Canon 500f4L + 1.4 convertor, ISO 400, f5.6, 1/4000

Comments

28 comments

Comment posted by Andy Shepherd on February 1, 2011 at 3:28 PM

Lovely capture, Karen. The wing position and pose are both great, good job.

Andy...

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

Comment posted by Philip Hodgkins on February 1, 2011 at 3:43 PM

I don't think the 400 ISO hurt you at all. The motion is totally frozen; the bg is suitably soft and everything but a few feathers are reasonably in focus.

Registered on July 24, 2006, 2741 Posts, 12349 Comments

Comment posted by Monica Siri on February 1, 2011 at 4:28 PM

Karen,
a beautiful capture of this owl. Great action pose and colors. Excellent work.

Registered on September 20, 2009, 132 Posts, 3764 Comments

Comment posted by Darren Colello on February 1, 2011 at 4:48 PM

Nice sharp detail and great pose. Wonderful image all around Karen. Well done.

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

Comment posted by Geoffrey Baker on February 1, 2011 at 6:12 PM

Excellent work as usual Karen, well done.

Geoff.

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

Comment posted by Ron Bielefeld on February 1, 2011 at 6:55 PM

Well done Karen. ISO 400 on the Mk 4 should not have created any IQ issues at all for you, and I don't see any. My standard setting for shooting flight shots in perfect light with the Mk 4 is ISO 800. That way you can get good SS and DOF on your shots. Really important with multi-bird flight shots especially. I have shot flight shots at ISO 1250 with the Mk 4 and as long as you don't need to crop much (say keeping the image at 70% or more of FF) IQ is excellent and I have not even had to use NR on the BGs. I say, use the Mk 4 to its fullest capabilities. One of those being much improved ISO to noise ratio.

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

Comment posted by Randy Bacon on February 1, 2011 at 7:09 PM

I love it Sally, wonderful pose of a gorgeous owl against a great BG. Beautiful - well done.

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

Comment posted by Ron Dudley on February 1, 2011 at 7:50 PM

This is wonderful Karen. Great light, perfect comp IMO, nice hunting pose and I think the background is great. I haven't had a chance with these birds for several years now and I really miss them!

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

Comment posted by Jim DeWitt on February 1, 2011 at 8:04 PM

That's an outstanding shot, Karen. I predict the short list for weekly avian pick. Among the best Barn Owl shots I've seen posted here.

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

Comment posted by David Williams on February 1, 2011 at 8:25 PM

Outstanding in every way, Karen!

Registered on March 8, 2005, 315 Posts, 2291 Comments

Comment posted by Keith Bauer on February 1, 2011 at 9:42 PM

Hi Karen: This is great. Love the pose and the intense look. BG is fantastic.

Registered on November 20, 2003, 458 Posts, 4836 Comments

Comment posted by Jeff Loomis on February 1, 2011 at 10:51 PM

Fantastic! The pose, the head in particular, is just wonderful. All technical aspects are great too, so I wouldn't think twice about the ISO. The SS froze the action which is what makes the image. Awesome.

Registered on January 26, 2010, 68 Posts, 719 Comments

Comment posted by Terry Sohl on February 1, 2011 at 11:19 PM

I certainly wouldn't be kicking myself over the results! This is gorgeous!

Registered on November 1, 2003, 513 Posts, 6889 Comments

Comment posted by Ken Archer on February 2, 2011 at 2:01 AM

Great action and detail! Awesome photo Karen!!!

Ken Archer

Registered on October 28, 2004, 222 Posts, 6683 Comments

Comment posted by Karen Summers on February 2, 2011 at 5:55 AM

Thanks everyone for the encouraging comments and thanks Ron on the advice about the ISO, thinking about it now I am glad I forgot to knock it down like you said use it to your advantage as long as you haven t got to crop much

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

Comment posted by Bill Maile on February 2, 2011 at 9:17 AM

That's very nice Karen, great capture, great bird.

Registered on March 2, 2009, 984 Posts, 2518 Comments

Comment posted by Mauro Pasquero on February 2, 2011 at 9:24 AM

Lovely capture, Karen ! Great unting pose and nice complementary BG.
Cheers.
Mauro

Registered on January 21, 2010, 650 Posts, 2500 Comments

Comment posted by Michael Lotito on February 2, 2011 at 10:34 AM

Wonderful barn owl shot!

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

Comment posted by Jim Hackley on February 2, 2011 at 1:40 PM

Excellent shot, wonderful light, pose and wing span, the larger image looks great, way to go.

Registered on September 17, 2009, 302 Posts, 5535 Comments

Comment posted by May Haga on February 2, 2011 at 5:52 PM

Exquisite Karen.
May

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

Comment posted by Albert Darmo on February 2, 2011 at 7:08 PM

Hi Karen

Beautifully captured

love the colors and that pose with the extended talons

:smile
Albert D armo. Canada:

Registered on November 25, 2008, 1386 Posts, 11978 Comments

Comment posted by Catherine Reilly on February 3, 2011 at 1:10 AM

Beautiful flight shot of my favorite owl, Karen. I know the eye is deep set on the bird, but wish it was just a teeny-tiny bit lighter? But the plumage really is awesome as is the flight pose.

Would sure be thrilled to have this in my archives!

Registered on August 16, 2006, 603 Posts, 9192 Comments

Comment posted by Mia McPherson on February 3, 2011 at 8:26 AM

Love the pose, comp, colors and light Karen.

Registered on June 25, 2007, 491 Posts, 12566 Comments

Comment posted by richard remington on February 3, 2011 at 9:14 AM

Karen,

Outstanding and entertaining image. Congratulations on a beautiful picture.

Rick

Registered on March 12, 2010, 105 Posts, 368 Comments

Comment posted by Danny Laredo on February 3, 2011 at 10:10 AM

Brilliant flight pose Karen. Over here Barn owls rarely hunt during the day time....lucky you!

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

Comment posted by KC Choo on February 3, 2011 at 1:10 PM

Lovely shot! Barn Owls don't hunt during the day over here either.

As Ron B remarked about his ISO setting, my default with this camera has been ISO800 from day one.

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

Comment posted by Ron Huff on February 3, 2011 at 3:17 PM

Wow!! Karen this is one awesome photograph. The 400 ISO does not take away from this shot. Always enjoy your photographs.

Ron Huff

Registered on August 31, 2010, 69 Posts, 440 Comments

Comment posted by Peter Conway on February 3, 2011 at 3:28 PM

Hi Karen,

This is beautiful! I too want to chime in on the ISO. I don't think with the MK4 that there is any appreciable advantage to ISO 100 over ISO 400. I agree with Ron B and KC that one can routinely use ISO 800 to no ill effect.

Peter

Registered on June 25, 2007, 347 Posts, 3913 Comments