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Snack Break
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Snack Break

by Ashleigh Scully

Gallery: AvianPosted November 8, 2014177 views8 comments
A Great Gray Owl finishing a meal of a field mouse in Wyoming last fall.

MY original shot of this owl included his full tail. I decided to crop it this way first because it didn't work too well with the tail in it. The face is the focus point because of the unique look so I wanted to highlight that instead. I removed a few distracting grasses on the left side and brightened up the owl's left eye a tiny bit.

Canon EOS 5D MIII
Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4xIII

Tripod mounted

ISO 800 | f/5.6 | 1/1000s

I am wondering what you think of the crop and any other feedback, thanks!

Comments

8 comments
Comment posted by Philip Hodgkins on November 8, 2014 at 7:57 PM
Ashleigh, it looks fine to me. A good portrait. :toast:
Registered on July 24, 2006, 2741 Posts, 12349 Comments
Comment posted by Steve Thompson on November 8, 2014 at 9:51 PM
Ashleigh, since the face is obviously the focal point I think you chose well to center it. I don't have a problem with the tail at all. I do really like the grasses in front of your owl too as well as the habitat in the BG. The detail in the face is amazing...way to go! :toast:
Registered on August 7, 2014, 125 Posts, 2319 Comments
Comment posted by Jerry Austin on November 9, 2014 at 8:49 AM
Very nice Ashley. I would even suggest a tighter crop. Well done.
Registered on January 6, 2012, 651 Posts, 3448 Comments
Comment posted by Keith Bauer on November 9, 2014 at 10:22 AM
I like the nice low shooting angle. I think the crop is fine. If this were mine I would apply a subtle vignette to the image to bring the viewer in even more on the Owl. Nothing major, subtle. I tried it and it looked great!
Registered on November 20, 2003, 458 Posts, 4836 Comments
Comment posted by Max Waugh on November 9, 2014 at 3:48 PM
What a fun portrait. Nice to get a clear view without too much interference from the grass. I think composition-wise, you have a lot options. Centered certainly works fine, but placing it on the left would have worked, and depending on how the tail looks, having the head on the right with the full body may have been a possibility. I like your choice here.

Max
Registered on September 26, 2008, 428 Posts, 2329 Comments
Comment posted by Jean C Cajolet on November 9, 2014 at 11:21 PM
It works fine to me. Beautiful picture, center it goes very well as is. :toast:
Registered on April 28, 2014, 53 Posts, 532 Comments
Comment posted by John Robinson on November 10, 2014 at 12:52 PM
Looks OK to me Ashley
Amazing expression !
JohnR
Registered on March 2, 2008, 535 Posts, 2453 Comments
Comment posted by William Bickle on November 14, 2014 at 6:49 PM
Cheers Ashleigh

Well done, I think JUST_FINE the excellent way you have presented this capture! :)

Bill
Registered on June 13, 2011, 183 Posts, 1702 Comments