The Marsh Hunter-SE Owl

Gallery: AvianPosted January 7, 20046,502 views39 comments

Another image from my quest for the perfect Short Eared image, still a long way to go but I'm working on it. This is cropped about 30 % to get the bird out of the center of the frame, I've found the best AF for this type of image is to keep just the center sensor activated on the 10D. Anyone that has better info. please add a comment so that we may all benefit from the suggestion. Manual focus is not a viable option with my eyesight and technical adeptness. Hope you enjoy and please scream when you've seen enough of my SEO's.
Canon 10D,600+1.4,tripod-1/1000 at F8,ISO 400.

Comments

39 comments

Comment posted by Alan Woolnough on January 7, 2004 at 3:56 PM

Hello Chris,

In my view, this is THE perfect shot of this particular owl.

Typical habitat, and perfectly captured with the bird obviously searching for food. Great photographic light, to reveal detail throughout, and a eye highlight to round the image off nicely

Cracking shot

Alan

Registered on November 13, 2003, 3 Posts, 275 Comments

Comment posted by Randy Harrison on January 7, 2004 at 4:02 PM

Stunning shot Chris. The bg colors really adds to this one. Where do you find all these owls?
Great job.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 468 Posts, 3099 Comments

Comment posted by Sean Hyde on January 7, 2004 at 4:08 PM

Chris, I am impressed with this shot! I keep looking at it, and looking at it, and looking at it ...

Well done!

Registered on November 11, 2003, 18 Posts, 38 Comments

Comment posted by Justin on January 7, 2004 at 4:18 PM

Superb image.If it's possible to improve on this,I'd sure like to know how.Great pose,colours,detail and composition.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 106 Posts, 1697 Comments

Comment posted by Ed Miller on January 7, 2004 at 4:20 PM

Chris, this is absolutely wonderful. I love everything about it. Congratulations.

Registered on December 15, 2003, 44 Posts, 368 Comments

Comment posted by Scott Leslie on January 7, 2004 at 4:49 PM

Chris, this couldn't be better! Probably the best raptor hovering image I've seen on NPN, way to go!

Scott

Registered on November 1, 2003, 37 Posts, 117 Comments

Comment posted by Al Menk on January 7, 2004 at 4:52 PM

I think you have the right technique based on your postings. Good job and keep them coming.

Registered on November 12, 2003, 36 Posts, 149 Comments

Comment posted by Helge Sorensen on January 7, 2004 at 5:01 PM

Absolutely stunning, Chris. This is just so cool!

Registered on November 1, 2003, 186 Posts, 1526 Comments

Comment posted by Garth McElroy on January 7, 2004 at 5:16 PM

Your a machine! Maybe your good luck will rub off on me when you come up here this winter! Superb!

Registered on November 1, 2003, 248 Posts, 4406 Comments

Comment posted by Tam Stuart on January 7, 2004 at 5:26 PM

What a shot! Well done.

Registered on November 17, 2003, 113 Posts, 1600 Comments

Comment posted by Vic Harris on January 7, 2004 at 5:48 PM

Chis, this is excellent beyond words so I'll just use these things...

Registered on November 1, 2003, 295 Posts, 2830 Comments

Comment posted by Bob Steele on January 7, 2004 at 6:32 PM

If this isn't the perfect S-e Owl shot, I'm afraid to see what you come up with that's better! Awesome shot Chris.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 354 Posts, 13896 Comments

Comment posted by Paula Graham on January 7, 2004 at 7:00 PM

Chris, it is just GORGEOUS, I adore it.
It would be a long time before you hear me scream.....how you can better this I do not know, but I am ready for more!

Registered on November 1, 2003, 34 Posts, 902 Comments

Comment posted by Brian E. Small on January 7, 2004 at 7:01 PM

Chris,

Steele and I are on the next plane to New Jersey................we want owls as good as this!!

Registered on November 1, 2003, 147 Posts, 933 Comments

Comment posted by Ronnie Gaubert on January 7, 2004 at 7:54 PM

Chris,
Perfect!!!! It just can't get any better than this.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 810 Posts, 3495 Comments

Comment posted by Alexander Couter on January 7, 2004 at 8:40 PM

Chris,
This is what I have been after this season! The pose, lighting... everything are right on the money! If this aint perfect I don't know what is. Tommorrow I am out early to try and see what I can get with our SEO's.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 48 Posts, 163 Comments

Comment posted by Jim Zipp on January 7, 2004 at 8:58 PM

Chris,
I think you can move on to a new subject as I don't think you can improve on this. Killer shot!!!!!

Registered on November 1, 2003, 86 Posts, 940 Comments

Comment posted by Bruce Sherman on January 7, 2004 at 9:02 PM

Chris,
If you are after the perfect SE Owl shot, you can stop right now. This is absolutely fantastic.

Registered on November 9, 2003, 165 Posts, 1116 Comments

Comment posted by Marc Alverson on January 7, 2004 at 9:21 PM

There's no such thing as too many owl photos. This is awesome!

Registered on November 13, 2003, 2 Posts, 2 Comments

Comment posted by Paul Fusco on January 7, 2004 at 10:08 PM

Chris -

This is awesome!
I don't know how you could improve it, except to give it to me.

The catchlight in the eye is an attention grabber and you've got a great view of the feet. Great light and color.

- Paul

Registered on November 17, 2003, 283 Posts, 1163 Comments

Comment posted by Jussi Vakkala on January 8, 2004 at 3:08 AM

All said, this is one great picture.

Registered on December 26, 2003, 2 Posts, 20 Comments

Comment posted by Tim Munsey on January 8, 2004 at 3:14 AM

Superb Chris. Looking forward to your perfect shot.

Tim Munsey

Registered on November 14, 2003, 109 Posts, 222 Comments

Comment posted by Matthew Pugh on January 8, 2004 at 4:02 AM

Alan has already stated my feelings about this one in the very first reply to this amazing image, so I will just repeat what he has said, “In my view, this is THE perfect shot of this particular owl”

Can’t wait to see your next one

Best Regards
Matthew

Registered on November 1, 2003, 72 Posts, 1230 Comments

Comment posted by Miguel Lasa on January 8, 2004 at 4:33 AM

Absolutelly brillant, one of the best owl shots I have ever seen.
How do you manage to get so little noise at iso 400 ?, If I do the same I get lots of noise (eos10d+tamrom 300) Is the lenses?

Registered on November 1, 2003, 71 Posts, 63 Comments

Comment posted by Chris Davidson on January 8, 2004 at 5:29 AM

Wow! A big thank you to everyone for the thoughtfull and very incouraging words, they mean a lot! As all of you know it takes a tremendous amount of work not only to find these birds but also a certian amount of pre-visualization to have the camera pointed in the right place at the right time. Having spent countless hours last winter not only photographing this species but editing the images, I came away with a sence of what kind of image I would like to capture. With a little luck, that may still be accomplished. I'd honestly be much happier with this image it if it were in fact full frame, the crop bothers me and its effect on the resulting image.

Randy asked where I find these birds! I've spent far to much time serching for these birds, the closest spot that I have found is over an hours drive away. Most of the areas I look are down in the vicinity of Brigintine National Wildlife Refuge, there are many spots farther south in New Jersey but the drive time keeps me from them!
The hardest part is getting a bird up and hunting before it gets to dark for flight photography and getting the sun to your back when shooting!

Miguel asked how I keep the noise down at ISO 400! Miguel I find if the image is exposed properly, with NO underexposure the grain is greatly reduced. Its the underexposure that really brings out the grain IMO. It also becomes much more prevelant when enlarging the image. When ever possible I rely on readings from a hand held light meter, for me this seems to be the best means of calculating exposures in most instances.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 38 Posts, 815 Comments

Comment posted by Gloria Hopkins on January 8, 2004 at 6:29 AM

This is unreal. Congratulations

Registered on November 1, 2003, 19 Posts, 324 Comments

Comment posted by Herman Blockx on January 8, 2004 at 6:43 AM

stop your quest! this is excellent and boy, i really wish it was mine!

Registered on November 1, 2003, 238 Posts, 760 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Ditch on January 8, 2004 at 12:13 PM

This is a <i>Cardiac Arrest</i> image, and I've not seen a better flight shot of this species. It is hard to imagine getting one any better, and that you can't thrilled with this one!

I've spend many winter afternoons in all the NJ coastal marshes waiting for short-ears to come out, and seeing any of them with sufficient light for photos is a very rare event. Getting one close enough to shoot in such light is even more rare. This just blows me away!

But I hope you will continue trying to improve on perfection - we will all be thrilled to see your results.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 1031 Posts, 12705 Comments

Comment posted by Trevor_Quested on January 8, 2004 at 2:05 PM

A beautiful photograph which is a credit to you. Well done. I love the background too.

Registered on November 16, 2003, 23 Posts, 76 Comments

Comment posted by Jasper Doest on January 9, 2004 at 9:48 AM

Surreal shot...I really don't see what you want to improve here. Everything is perfect here. But...if you think you can do better...than I'm really curious of what to come.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 371 Posts, 2101 Comments

Comment posted by Juza on January 9, 2004 at 3:55 PM

This is a BEAUTY

Kudus Chris

Registered on November 1, 2003, 374 Posts, 10466 Comments

Comment posted by Ed Kaar on January 9, 2004 at 9:08 PM

Chris - What's left to say but I agree with all the above. Outstanding Shot in all respects. Congrats.

Registered on November 15, 2003, 15 Posts, 195 Comments

Comment posted by Martin Creasser on January 10, 2004 at 8:27 AM

Not enough superlatives for this one Chris. An absolutly superb shot. I don't know how you can improve on this one.

rgds,

Martin

Registered on November 14, 2003, 31 Posts, 469 Comments

Comment posted by John Fortner on January 12, 2004 at 8:08 PM

Very nice Chris! Can't believe it took me this long to see it.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 15 Posts, 146 Comments

Comment posted by Daniella T. on January 20, 2004 at 5:44 PM

If you don't think this is perfection, I think you are about the only one here that think this way. I think this shot is perfect. I like the pose, the light is perfect and I like the way the owl look down for a pray. Very natural photo.

Registered on January 9, 2004, 41 Posts, 512 Comments

Comment posted by Kevin Tat on June 15, 2004 at 7:39 PM

Well done and beautiful color tone, Chris. One thing I have to agree with you is about using just the center focus point active, in almost all AF cameras with this kind of inflight shot. I have tried most combinations of AF points and even with the 45-point available in the EOS 1x cameras, the center one-only seems to be the most effective. Cheers!

Registered on June 13, 2004, 15 Posts, 14 Comments

Comment posted by Dolores Neilson on July 16, 2004 at 9:18 AM

outstanding image!! Congrats on Editor's Choice! Well deserved! Thanks for the into on focus points! !