Shot mid February, just before heading off to Canada to do the Snowy owls.
I had been told there had been some sightings of three SEO's about ten minutes drive from the house on some farmland, sadly knowing the location there was no way I was going to be able to access the land, as the owner is not too friendly to say the least. So after two days of watching them and their behaviour I managed to nail this one, allowing me about 2 minutes of his time before flying off. The weather was very cold and snowy, so no chance of getting any blue sky, but a little winter sun at times.
Steve
Subject: Short eared owl on branch, whiteout BKG (Asio flammeus)
Location: UK
Camera: Canon MKIV
Lens: 500f/4, plus 2x - HH
Exposure: 1/500s at f/8 ISO400 +1.33 stop compensation
Crop: Slight crop (original capture vertical)
Posted by Andy Astbury on April 2, 2012 at 12:13 PM
Good eye contact and a nicely framed shot Judith.
Tone the BG down a bit - it's running at 96% brightness average and peaking 99% right next to the owls head - it'll never print "as is" in a billion years
Stephen the bird stands out beautifully against that stark bg and super detail on the bird.
Keith.
Posted by Nick Mckeown on April 2, 2012 at 2:49 PM
First SEO I have seen taken in a tree I think. The clean BG really makes the bird stand out and it has lots of detail. Nice grab Stephen. Is HH handheld? If so 1000mm at 1/500s is pretty darn good!
Hi Nick, HH is hand-held, just braced myself, then rattle off a few frames, paused, then a few again hoping not to spook this one, but totally draining in a very short space of time. The tree was set in a hedgerow, originally I was after the Little owls, one lane along. Just hoping at the end of next month will show the signs of the Tawny being around which hopefully means the chicks will follow thereafter.
Posted by Rene de Heer on April 2, 2012 at 3:26 PM
Lovely image Stephen. For me also the first time I see an image of a SEO in a tree.
Rene de Heer
Can't comment on the processing side of things, but it's a good capture, especially HH at a 1000mm, well done, Steve.
Andy...
Posted by David Sewell on April 3, 2012 at 10:11 AM
I think the near-white background works well here, and to get the image hand-holding in those conditions is amazing, even if you did have a tree to brace against.
David
Posted by David Taylor on April 3, 2012 at 12:11 PM
Faultless, considering the HH technique.
Posted by Bob Johnson on April 3, 2012 at 12:47 PM
Discussion
12 repliesI had been told there had been some sightings of three SEO's about ten minutes drive from the house on some farmland, sadly knowing the location there was no way I was going to be able to access the land, as the owner is not too friendly to say the least. So after two days of watching them and their behaviour I managed to nail this one, allowing me about 2 minutes of his time before flying off. The weather was very cold and snowy, so no chance of getting any blue sky, but a little winter sun at times.
Steve
Subject: Short eared owl on branch, whiteout BKG (Asio flammeus)
Location: UK
Camera: Canon MKIV
Lens: 500f/4, plus 2x - HH
Exposure: 1/500s at f/8 ISO400 +1.33 stop compensation
Crop: Slight crop (original capture vertical)
Tone the BG down a bit - it's running at 96% brightness average and peaking 99% right next to the owls head - it'll never print "as is" in a billion years
Keith.
Nick.
Hi Nick, HH is hand-held, just braced myself, then rattle off a few frames, paused, then a few again hoping not to spook this one, but totally draining in a very short space of time. The tree was set in a hedgerow, originally I was after the Little owls, one lane along. Just hoping at the end of next month will show the signs of the Tawny being around which hopefully means the chicks will follow thereafter.
Rene de Heer
Can't comment on the processing side of things, but it's a good capture, especially HH at a 1000mm, well done, Steve.
Andy...
David
Bob
Prime evidence HH can work in right hands and with the 2 X extender too. Remarkable quality.