Great Grey Owlet

Gallery: AvianPosted June 13, 2012301 views18 comments

My dad, sisters, and I were invited by a friend to join him in photographing owls. We decided to stay for 2 days. The first day our friend wasn't able to make it so we headed off on our own in search of owls! We spotted 5 Great Greys that were all cooperative...pictures coming soon

! The second day we met up with our friend and starting searching again. We spotted an adult grey on a post and stuck around with him for a bit, and our friend told us he was going to search near for more. After we finished up, we drove to where he said he was going. We unloaded all the gear and heard him say "You guys are sure missing out!". We hadn't even seen him there! We quickly spotted this little guy on the ground. I was able to get this shot handheld, and laying on the ground! I am very happy with the results!

Thanks for looking everyone!

Nikon D300
Nikkor 200-400mm f/4 ED VR @ 400mm
ISO 400
1/160sec @ f/6.3
handheld laying on the ground

Comments

18 comments

Comment posted by Butch Lama on June 13, 2012 at 2:53 PM

Awesome!!! Great DOF & bokeh. Amazing feather details and love that eyes.

Registered on July 23, 2010, 42 Posts, 316 Comments

Comment posted by Barb Pflaum on June 13, 2012 at 3:22 PM

Wonderful image of this little owlet! Excellent detail. Nice DOF with the smooth bg and the oof foreground grass.

Registered on January 14, 2009, 316 Posts, 2724 Comments

Comment posted by Cam Held on June 13, 2012 at 3:28 PM

Great detail on the owlet and the OOF grasses are perfect. No nits from me

Registered on November 12, 2009, 59 Posts, 398 Comments

Comment posted by Philip Hodgkins on June 13, 2012 at 3:33 PM

No nits. I look forward with awe to your future as a wildlife photographer! You just keep getting better!

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

Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on June 13, 2012 at 4:00 PM

Just delightful! Marveous face and eyes, and the soft/OOF vegetation is a great addition.
Another exceptional image!
Sandy

Registered on November 24, 2003, 3937 Posts, 12909 Comments

Comment posted by Keith Bauer on June 13, 2012 at 8:12 PM

Jenaya: This is really cool! What a nice image. Superb detail. Great low angle. Wonderful background. Great sharpness, Great DOF, how about just Great.......

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

Comment posted by Luke Ormand on June 13, 2012 at 9:01 PM

Absolutely beautiful - great image all the way around, something to really be proud of

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

Comment posted by Tonia Graves on June 13, 2012 at 11:17 PM

Beautifully captured owl! Love the low point of view, the colors, and DOF. This is wonderful!

Registered on October 29, 2011, 92 Posts, 1035 Comments

Comment posted by David Williams on June 14, 2012 at 6:13 PM

A real cutie, and I love the low angle......nicely done.

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

Comment posted by John Launstein on June 14, 2012 at 7:50 PM

Hi Jaye - well, you already know how much I LOVE this image. You certainly blew my efforts out of the water with this one! Just fantastic choice of camera angle (way to pay the price laying down in the muddy grass!) and excellent technique to get this handheld through that much glass at 1/160sec. Your choice of aperture is pretty close to perfect as well. Gorgeous, creamy OOF vegetation surrounding the owlet, but wonderful sharpness and detail on the bird itself.

I have to add you put it all together in the perfect moment of light as well...there were only a few seconds that offered this beautiful mix of open shade with soft directional evening sun.

Personally, I love the OOF yellow flowers in the background and even the one in the foreground because of how it compliments his eyes and beak and adds some interest and balance colour-wise to the image.

This is, IMO, one of your best to date, but I've been saying that a lot lately!

Can't wait to see what else you get this summer!

Registered on April 5, 2011, 223 Posts, 1193 Comments

Comment posted by Gary Jacobson on June 15, 2012 at 12:49 AM

What a fabulous capture. I like the framing with the grass and the overall composition. You nailed the exposure as well on this image. The only ever so slight nit would be the brown blade of grass at the shoulder level on the right side of the image, it could be cloned out to make this even more spectacular. Congratulations Jenaya!

Registered on May 20, 2012, 17 Posts, 41 Comments

Comment posted by May Haga on June 15, 2012 at 2:08 PM

Wow, now that is cool. A Great Gray chick. Very impressive and great image to boot.
May

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

Comment posted by keith mitchell on June 16, 2012 at 9:51 AM

Jenaya sounds like great place to be,this baby Owl looks superb in the setting you have it in.

Keith.

Registered on July 12, 2008, 127 Posts, 1735 Comments

Comment posted by John Launstein on June 16, 2012 at 1:42 PM

Thank you so much everyone! I really appreciate your support and feedback!

Registered on April 5, 2011, 223 Posts, 1193 Comments

Comment posted by Jenaya Launstein on June 16, 2012 at 1:54 PM

The "thank you" comment is actually from me...forgot my dad was the last one logged into the computer.

Registered on February 8, 2011, 254 Posts, 1302 Comments

Comment posted by Max Waugh on June 16, 2012 at 3:15 PM

What a great find. The green surroundings are a wonderful complement to the subject. Wish we had been able to find these in Yellowstone.

Max

Registered on September 26, 2008, 428 Posts, 2329 Comments

Comment posted by Charlie VanTassel on June 16, 2012 at 7:42 PM

Just beautiful, Jenaya. Great detail and I think I would be happy too.

Registered on October 18, 2006, 644 Posts, 4801 Comments

Comment posted by Howard Cheek on June 22, 2012 at 7:56 PM

I like everything about this one Jenaya!
Sounds like your Dads friend was just the ticket too..
You've come away with an outstanding image on many levels,
Very well done & have a great weekend!

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