Snowy Owl in Flight Turn

Gallery: AvianPosted August 14, 200632,767 views69 comments

This photo was taken in the far reaches of Northern Quebec last winter. It was -21 degrees plus wind chill, but worth every frozen finger and toes!

Canon 1D Mk 11 N / Canon 500 f4 / 1/2500 @ f8 ISO 125 / handheld

Comments

69 comments

Comment posted by Lee Daniels on August 14, 2006 at 10:31 PM

If your fingers and toes fall off and you never hold a camera again, this was worth it!
Over-the-top incredible and dynamic and heart-stoppingly superb!

Registered on December 31, 2003, 115 Posts, 1657 Comments

Comment posted by Nate Chappell on August 14, 2006 at 10:37 PM

Wow

Registered on February 1, 2006, 1158 Posts, 19528 Comments

Comment posted by Bob Kaufman on August 14, 2006 at 10:59 PM

Wow, magazine cover perfect!

Registered on February 17, 2005, 72 Posts, 901 Comments

Comment posted by David Bostedo on August 14, 2006 at 11:28 PM

Nothing to say but Wow.

Registered on May 5, 2006, 178 Posts, 2224 Comments

Comment posted by Gary Gulash on August 14, 2006 at 11:37 PM

Well this should garner a few wow's and omg's! Talk about right place at the right time. He appears to be just floating; just when I thought I had seen it all, this comes along.

Registered on January 28, 2005, 879 Posts, 12098 Comments

Comment posted by Dusty Veideman on August 14, 2006 at 11:54 PM

WOW! I should be so lucky in my lifetime to get a shot like this! Utterly superb!

Registered on November 1, 2003, 295 Posts, 547 Comments

Comment posted by Pedro Martín Barto on August 15, 2006 at 2:33 AM

You shouldn't have posted this photo... now there are too many people drooling in front of their monitors!

Registered on December 31, 2003, 6 Posts, 194 Comments

Comment posted by Colin Smale on August 15, 2006 at 3:22 AM

I can't stop looking at this. It is too good for words, just send me a 20x16 for my wall !!

Registered on November 10, 2003, 48 Posts, 1158 Comments

Comment posted by Jasper Doest on August 15, 2006 at 3:39 AM

You've certainly outdone yourself...this is just freekingly good!

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

Comment posted by John Chapman on August 15, 2006 at 4:03 AM

Hi David. Great. Superb!!!!!!!
John Chapman
Aberdeen
Scotland

Registered on June 19, 2004, 100 Posts, 1473 Comments

Comment posted by Juza on August 15, 2006 at 4:45 AM

Hi David,
the best photo of this bird that I've ever seen

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

Comment posted by David Kjaer on August 15, 2006 at 4:50 AM

W incredible shot the pose is perfect as is your exposure and processing!

David

Registered on January 4, 2006, 128 Posts, 4170 Comments

Comment posted by chris hajee on August 15, 2006 at 5:15 AM

man this is to good fantastic shot David

Registered on January 18, 2005, 179 Posts, 2384 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Ennis on August 15, 2006 at 6:16 AM

Certainly the best Snowy Owl shot I've ever seen! Stunning!

Registered on November 1, 2003, 118 Posts, 422 Comments

Comment posted by Glenn Bartley on August 15, 2006 at 9:29 AM

Amazing!

Registered on June 29, 2004, 448 Posts, 1180 Comments

Comment posted by Kevin Thompson on August 15, 2006 at 9:55 AM

Over the top!

Registered on March 15, 2005, 114 Posts, 2639 Comments

Comment posted by Bob Mullen on August 15, 2006 at 9:57 AM

This is the type of shot where the saying "picture perfect" must come from!

Registered on June 4, 2006, 133 Posts, 1056 Comments

Comment posted by Ian Mason on August 15, 2006 at 10:01 AM

Agreed - this is has to be a prizewinner somewhere. Congratulations in advance!

Registered on December 14, 2005, 399 Posts, 2305 Comments

Comment posted by Bob Steele on August 15, 2006 at 10:28 AM

Excellent!!

I've got to know, did you really shoot this as a vertical, or is it cropped?

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

Comment posted by David Hemmings on August 15, 2006 at 10:35 AM

Hey Bob...it is a crop....Thanks everyone for your kind coments

Registered on May 26, 2006, 178 Posts, 1680 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Ditch on August 15, 2006 at 11:17 AM

A splendid image as posted.

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

Comment posted by Jake Dingel on August 15, 2006 at 12:01 PM

Registered on April 24, 2006, 34 Posts, 633 Comments

Comment posted by Alice Scoggins on August 15, 2006 at 12:34 PM

Definitely an awesome shot! I love the way the eyes are looking straight at you.

Registered on February 21, 2005, 430 Posts, 5959 Comments

Comment posted by Graeme Lee on August 15, 2006 at 12:46 PM

The best shot of one of these I've ever seen too.

Graeme

Registered on May 8, 2006, 85 Posts, 641 Comments

Comment posted by T. Williams on August 15, 2006 at 1:01 PM

This is sweet!

Registered on June 9, 2006, 36 Posts, 326 Comments

Comment posted by Ken Archer on August 15, 2006 at 1:35 PM

My Oh My

Ken Archer

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

Comment posted by KC Choo on August 15, 2006 at 1:48 PM

Undoubtedly your best post!

Congrats on the EPA!

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

Comment posted by W. Tracy Parnell on August 15, 2006 at 2:07 PM

Registered on March 4, 2004, 27 Posts, 1638 Comments

Comment posted by Garth McElroy on August 15, 2006 at 2:33 PM

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

Comment posted by Satie Sharma on August 15, 2006 at 2:50 PM

Awesome!!

Registered on November 11, 2003, 189 Posts, 5335 Comments

Comment posted by Robert Royse on August 15, 2006 at 3:12 PM

Excellent photo! I only seem to find this species as bumps in the distance in heavy overcast.

When I see these owls comin' atcha photos, I always have doubts as to whether a live mouse was used at bait, a practice that is absolutely deplorable to me. If you did that for the sake of getting a photo, then shame on you, if not then

Registered on November 1, 2003, 218 Posts, 2427 Comments

Comment posted by Keith A Anderson on August 15, 2006 at 4:15 PM

Wow! And you didn't think to share it with this group until now. I'd have been showing it to anyone and everyone that would look.

Registered on February 13, 2006, 166 Posts, 1818 Comments

Comment posted by George Palagian on August 15, 2006 at 6:54 PM

I spent last winter trying to get a shot like this. I got lucky once when a juvenile jumped off a fencepost and I was in his turn radius. This is an incredible image. Congratulations. David, whereabouts in Quebec were you. Regards.

Registered on March 3, 2006, 113 Posts, 1444 Comments

Comment posted by Jim Zipp on August 15, 2006 at 7:14 PM

Simply stunning!!

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

Comment posted by Neil Losin on August 15, 2006 at 7:47 PM

Hi David,

Wow; this is the best Snowy flight image I've seen. I can't see anything to improve here. Fantastic!

Registered on September 16, 2005, 145 Posts, 3524 Comments

Comment posted by Paul Fusco on August 15, 2006 at 8:49 PM

David -

Well worth your trip. Stunning shot!

- Paul

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

Comment posted by Ganesh H Shankar on August 15, 2006 at 9:50 PM

Beautifully captured - nice background color which matches the subject.

Registered on March 1, 2004, 324 Posts, 1867 Comments

Comment posted by richard ettlinger on August 15, 2006 at 11:10 PM

Registered on June 17, 2004, 377 Posts, 1565 Comments

Comment posted by Khris Rino on August 15, 2006 at 11:12 PM

Fabulous shot!! Reminds me of last winter when we had a Snowy "irruption" here in the Seattle area. One snowy had in fact taken temporary residence at a nearby park and gave easy photo ops. I bagged a few shots too but they were nowhere near as good as this one. Awesome!!

Registered on August 10, 2006, 8 Posts, 69 Comments

Comment posted by Muhammad Zaid Wani on August 16, 2006 at 2:15 AM

Amazing shot!

Registered on August 18, 2005, 23 Posts, 1406 Comments

Comment posted by Krijn Trimbos on August 16, 2006 at 5:55 AM

IMO that blue BG makes this shot, supreme capture!

Registered on October 18, 2005, 260 Posts, 2979 Comments

Comment posted by Vincent Grafhorst on August 16, 2006 at 10:33 AM

FANTASTIC!!!! One of the most stunning shots ever on this site! It somehow looks unreal....
Very commercial pic as well, I bet this one can earn you a nice new piece of equipment.

Registered on February 24, 2006, 504 Posts, 7203 Comments

Comment posted by Scott C on August 16, 2006 at 12:43 PM

incredible!!!

Registered on April 3, 2006, 48 Posts, 168 Comments

Comment posted by Jim Neiger on August 16, 2006 at 2:14 PM

Killer image, David!

Registered on July 9, 2004, 294 Posts, 202 Comments

Comment posted by George Forrest on August 16, 2006 at 8:13 PM

Just fabulous!! Front cover stuff.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 26 Posts, 443 Comments

Comment posted by David Williams on August 16, 2006 at 9:08 PM

Truly amazing, David!

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

Comment posted by Marsel van Oosten on August 17, 2006 at 9:28 AM

Registered on March 9, 2004, 285 Posts, 2277 Comments

Comment posted by Joe Vincent on August 17, 2006 at 9:03 PM

This is as good as it gets David! Sweeeeet!!

Registered on August 16, 2005, 69 Posts, 792 Comments

Comment posted by Patricia Brundage on August 20, 2006 at 7:55 AM

This is the one we all strive for. Congratulations!

Registered on March 23, 2006, 1111 Posts, 6531 Comments

Comment posted by Kenneth Kijewski on August 21, 2006 at 7:15 AM

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Registered on February 17, 2004, 166 Posts, 3390 Comments

Comment posted by Bill Chambers on August 21, 2006 at 11:15 AM

Nothing left to say on this one. Congratulations on the EP - VERY well deserved!

Registered on April 10, 2005, 753 Posts, 21216 Comments

Comment posted by Marc Brousseau on August 21, 2006 at 8:40 PM

Congrats on your EP David, awsome composition. Are these part of the series taken near St Vallier?? I've got to get down there this year.

Registered on August 12, 2005, 36 Posts, 100 Comments

Comment posted by Christine Adams on August 22, 2006 at 5:15 AM

OOOOOMMMMMMMGGGGGGGGG!!!!!! Absolutely stunning!!! Congrats on the pick, well deserved for sure!! Thanks!

Registered on January 24, 2006, 119 Posts, 1871 Comments

Comment posted by Alan Bryant on August 26, 2006 at 6:29 AM

This has to be one of the best shots i've seen on this forum.

Outstanding

Registered on March 31, 2006, 473 Posts, 1081 Comments

Comment posted by Kirk Greene on August 27, 2006 at 11:57 PM

Amazing! Congrats on the EP!

Registered on May 12, 2004, 191 Posts, 1578 Comments

Comment posted by Søren Koch on September 3, 2006 at 3:22 AM

Thats it!

Registered on March 30, 2006, 30 Posts, 42 Comments

Comment posted by Paul Breitkreuz on September 9, 2006 at 4:21 PM

Simply an amazing image. One of the best in-flight images I have ever seen. I would have to give some credit to this beautiful owl too, what a perfect looking and very magestic creature.

Registered on February 25, 2006, 525 Posts, 8448 Comments

Comment posted by Justin on November 26, 2006 at 6:19 PM

What an outstanding shot.Not only is the pose incredible but the image has been superbly processed too.

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

Comment posted by Jose Suro on November 26, 2006 at 7:21 PM

Great image!!

Jose

Registered on June 24, 2006, 267 Posts, 2273 Comments

Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on January 8, 2007 at 2:02 AM

Just stunning!! Congrats!
Sandy R

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

Comment posted by Mark Wilson on January 28, 2007 at 11:31 PM

Realised that I only drooled and never commented on this David...not that I can add much...

Registered on May 17, 2006, 70 Posts, 1166 Comments

Comment posted by Simon Bennett on March 10, 2007 at 5:47 AM

Fantastic!

Registered on February 4, 2007, 350 Posts, 4614 Comments

Comment posted by Andrea Marzorati on March 20, 2007 at 9:24 AM

Incredible

Registered on December 1, 2005, 86 Posts, 589 Comments

Comment posted by Prashant Khapane on May 28, 2007 at 3:24 AM

Superb!

Registered on November 1, 2003, 492 Posts, 4580 Comments

Comment posted by Marco Rusinà on July 1, 2007 at 5:58 AM

excellent photo

Registered on June 24, 2007, 1 Posts, 2 Comments

Comment posted by Michael Anderson on November 16, 2007 at 6:42 PM

One of the best wildlife images I've ever seen!! Outstanding! Congratulations on the EP of the year award.