Concentration

The amount of concentration needed to provide the next meal.

Encountered this GHO seem to be running lucky with owls and not a ring in sight. I suspect a male they seem to be smaller than the female.

Critique, Comments or Advice most welcome if anybody's out there or perhaps I'm talking to myself again, I'm happy

Canon 1D3 Canon 800mm just to please JR. Hand held from vehicle.
1/200sec f/13 ISO400 RAW to lightroom then resized to post.

Thanks for looking.

Hi Barry, superb image and love the space you have given it. It appears quite noisy on my screen on the larger image though which seems unusual as you were only on 400 ISO. Also the f13 has shown up some dust spots which can easily be cloned out. The BG colour and lighting on the bird are superb.

Nick.

that's a lovely shot Barry. A slightly more natural post would have been nice but not much you could do about that! The colours, detail and composition are all very nice and a lovely looking bird too.

I'm not sure why you shot this at f13, I would have thought a faster shutter would have been helpful if you're handholding an 800mm lens!

Matt

Barry i have taken in the other points mentioned,but i do think the Owl itself is superb the swept back ear tufts and the slightly ruffled feathers look great,wish it was mine.

Keith,

Lovely shot of this large Owl Barry! I would prefer a vertical crop for this one with the Owl in the left top corner and some more space below. Noise issues have been mentioned but are easily fixed.

greetings,

Jeroen Stel

Barry -Why is this just to please JR ?
JR

Woops

Wrong JR he is over here and a big glass supporter.

Sleep well.

Nick, Matt, Keith and Jeroen

Thank you for taking the time to comment it's appreciated.

My tenure here is drawering to a close, retirement looms and home to blighty. The help and assistance freely given by NPN members both side of the pond has been beyond value. As a very late starter and not knowing my ISO from my elbow it's been fantastic. The guy's and gals over here can't understand me and I can't them but hey we cracked it. The abundance of species is fantastic so one hell of a learning curve.

I tend to go for the image presented knowing full well any delay or exit from the vehicle will flush the subject, resulting in yet another birds butt to add to the prior thousands. That said my preperation needs to improve including ISO and f stop.

Perhaps in retirement I'll slow down may take a while.

Jeroen will this work my friend?

I also prefer the vertical, well exposed and sharp. I am not so keen on the artificial post
Rene de Heer

I really like the composition of the original, and the bird is spot on.As has been said, the image is grainy but easily fixed.
Best wishes
Phil

Minor points have already been noted Barry. A great subject that I am sure you will miss when back in Blighty.

Austin, we have all been there my friend and even now in my excitement I still make basic mistakes, the difference being that with digital they don't cost you anything, only your pride! You may be a late starter but you obviously have a natural talent and the techy issues will eventually become second nature, excitement excluded of course!

Nick.

Both images are good Barry, but the portrait version slightly has the edge.

Andy...

Barry when your tenure is over go to norfolk with your record with owls you will have a field day!!! Stunning birds would live just to see one

Like the landscape version best and the cracking feather detail. Does not seem noisy on my screen

Bob

Two excellent pictures Barry and I like both. My own preference would be for the first image mainly because in the second image the right eye (LHS as seen) is shaded by the eyelid and the pupil cannot be seen clearly. This for me looks a little bit odd, nothing major and I'm probably a bit weird to notice it.