Great Gray Owl

[Harry Colquhoun]

I think this is my first post to this board. Hi everyone. :)

Great Gray Owl
Photographed yesterday (Dec. 30) in the wild. So far nothing altered in the photo aside from a slider or two, though I was considering cloning out the few branches.

Canon 1Dx, 600mm f/4 v. I
f/4, 1/3200, ISO 500
http://colquhoun.smugmug.com/photos/i-FntFkk3/0/X3/i-FntFkk3-X3.jpg

Cheers,
Harry C


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[Stu Bowie]

Hi Harry, a big welcome to BPN, and looking forward to your participation. A great subject to start off with, and a bonus that he has his next meal ready to eat. We have a good view of the near wing, and overall, the image is sharp where it counts. Just love the blue/brown BG, and if anything, if you are ok with it, I would remove the grass just behind the tail. The owl is a touch too large in the frame, but I suspect you had too much glass. In an ideal world, more space all round, and even more in front to fly into.

[Randy Stout]

Harry:

Welcome to BPN! Nice way to start, for sure. Good critique from Stuart, and I agree with his points. A little looser crop, clean up a few twigs would put a bit of polish on an already fine image.

Look forward to more. Where was this taken?

Cheers

Randy

[Marina Scarr]

A real stunner, Harry. What a way to start on BPN!! Where are you from?

Love this image. Agree with a little more room. Love the fact you have the owl in flight and with prey!! Can't beat that.

[Tony Whitehead]

Welcome, Harry. great opening post and good advice already given. Lovely soft textures in that plumage and light reflecting up off the snow has worked beautifully as fill light. Is that snow dropping off below the owl? Looking forward to more images from you.

[Raymond Lee]

Great shot Harry! Nice sharp details, and I think the HA is still pretty good. The shot is a bit tight and the grasses are quite the distractions for my taste.

Welcome to BPN! I'm also from Edmonton and saw your posting in ENC. Hope to run into you some day. Happy New Year!

[Harry Colquhoun]

Thanks all for the comments! I should have mentioned that this was taken near Edmonton, Alberta.

I have a little bit more room I can add back in the picture, although this means some more work removing the top of a post and barbed wire. I may as well take out the grass at the same time.

Tony, yes that is snow dropping off the owl that you see. The snow was between 2-3' deep where he grabbed the vole, and he was covered with quite a bit before he took off.

Thanks again. Cheers,
Harry

[Robert Holguin]

Very nice shot!!!
I really like the flight pose, nice details, the meal is a big bonus, and agree on a loser crop.
Very well done.