The 'Helpful gardener'

Gallery: AvianPosted September 7, 2014295 views16 comments

Posting remotely as I'm currently away, but here is one from last year, this is the owlet who is now grown up and has off spring of his own.

Steve

Subject: Little owlet on fork (Athene noctua)
Location: UK
Camera: Canon 1DX
Lens: 500mm f/4 plus 1.4x Gitzo tripod/Wimberley head
Exposure: 1/400s at f/6.3 ISO2000 EV+0.67
Original format: Portrait

Comments

16 comments

Comment posted by Allen Brooks on September 7, 2014 at 1:37 PM

Nice sharp photo. Good background and perch. Looks like you caught a bug in the left upper corner.

Registered on July 27, 2011, 262 Posts, 2597 Comments

Comment posted by Stephen Kaluski on September 7, 2014 at 1:48 PM

Yep, kept it in just for a change, cheers Steve.

Registered on March 25, 2007, 189 Posts, 1064 Comments

Comment posted by Charles Gangas on September 7, 2014 at 2:15 PM

Very nice Steve. Great contrast between the subject and the background which isolates the bird well. And I love the texture of the wooden shovel perch.

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

Comment posted by keith mitchell on September 7, 2014 at 3:05 PM

Top quality shot Steve, the eyes look perfect for juvenile bird ,also perfect feather detail.
Keith.

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

Comment posted by Tjie Poo on September 7, 2014 at 4:30 PM

It is sooooo... adorable ! Those eyes....., can't get enough of them ! I also like the uniform colors of the bird's plumage as well as the perch. Nicely done !

Registered on December 4, 2012, 51 Posts, 511 Comments

Comment posted by Daniel & Loana on September 7, 2014 at 4:46 PM

Wonderful shot.

D&L

Registered on October 7, 2008, 166 Posts, 3044 Comments

Comment posted by Dennis Plank on September 7, 2014 at 7:02 PM

Excellent image quality, Steve. An interesting treatment. It looks as if you desaturated the bird and shovel handle but left the bg alone. It works for me.

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

Comment posted by Jim DeWitt on September 8, 2014 at 12:06 AM

The cute factor is completely over the top on this one, Alan. Great capture, perch, techs and composition. Are those natural colors, or did you selectively desaturate as Dennis suggests?

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

Comment posted by Stephen Kaluski on September 8, 2014 at 3:31 AM

Thanks guys, regarding the colour, just taken at low light/shade so colour becomes less saturated.

Steve

Registered on March 25, 2007, 189 Posts, 1064 Comments

Comment posted by Ashleigh Scully on September 8, 2014 at 8:32 PM

Great shot I like including the bug too. Great exposure.

Registered on November 4, 2013, 36 Posts, 210 Comments

Comment posted by May Haga on September 9, 2014 at 3:53 PM

Lovely capture of this little owl.
May

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

Comment posted by Kurt Bowman on September 9, 2014 at 10:44 PM

Is that a shovel handle? Regardless, I like the look he;s giving you in this one Steve. I am not sure I am sold on the low saturation though. It feels a bit flat to me and I think it takes away from the Little Owls eyes.
Nice to see a post from you. Hope to see a lot more.

Registered on June 19, 2008, 1005 Posts, 8028 Comments

Comment posted by Mike Ramy on September 13, 2014 at 3:10 PM

Another sweet Owl image Steve with your trademark 'Cute' factor built right in.
I get motivated seeing your wonderful images using your 1DX and that high ISO to pull the trigger on getting me one as a companion body to my 7D, Christmas is fast approaching and I have been a good boy this year.
Well timed and presented image,

Man !

Registered on June 16, 2012, 567 Posts, 2809 Comments

Comment posted by Stephen Kaluski on September 13, 2014 at 3:47 PM

Hi Kurt, can't help the light, that's as is, sadly the UK isn't quite bathed with pure sunlight.

Mike, the 1DX is perhaps the best EOS body I have ever owned, having worked my way through the MKII, III & IV. The 7D is a camera I feel you need to nail the exposure perfectly, it does not allow for error. My advice would be to read the 1DX manual, then read it again. There will be stuff you will not use, but shooting RAW will ensure what you capture will have the best platform. Using the cameras Histogram, shoot ETTR (Expose to the right) in that way you will be working with a lot more info.

cheers
Steve

Registered on March 25, 2007, 189 Posts, 1064 Comments

Comment posted by Pat Sampson on October 12, 2014 at 10:42 AM

I'm really enjoying this one. So good... Congrats on the ep and the image.

pat

Registered on May 19, 2007, 953 Posts, 15989 Comments

Comment posted by Stephen Kaluski on October 12, 2014 at 10:49 AM

Cheers Pat, wasn't even aware it had mad EP.

Registered on March 25, 2007, 189 Posts, 1064 Comments