Great Gray

[SimonDuval]

Hi Guys,

I need your help here. This picture of a Great Gray Owl was taken during a snowstorm recently. I used Olympus E-30 + 300mm f2.8 and EC-20 (2x). PP was done in LR4, corrected a bluish cast, adjusted contrast, reduced highlight on the white below the chin and sharpened a little bit.

My question to you, how can I make the owl pop out more from the background here or is it just that the snowstorm was too intense. This photo looks too much like a painting to me no?

1/400s f/7.1 at 600.0mm iso800
http://www.pbase.com/duvalsimon/image/148283893.jpg

Simon



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[dankearl]

I would apply some contrast and remove the branch above the Owl's head and maybe the one below the Owl.
I think it is really nice, good close up look, I would also pull up the color a bit in the eyes.

[Doug Brown]

How about a curves adjustment to the owl that adds a bit more contrast to the bird?

123308

[Jack Breakfast]

What a lovely look at the stunning beast in his natural environment. I absolutely agree that removing the branch to the right of owl's head would be a great visual improvement. As is, this is a likeable painterly scene. And what ever could be wrong about a photograph that looks like a painting?

[Mike Milicia]

Gorgeous bird and the love the falling snow!

I tried doing a midtone contrast adjustment (USM at 20/50/0) and then a slight contrast boost with Curves and and added a tiny bit of output sharpening.

[Sachin Saraf]

This is such a fine image and definitely deserves some efforts in PP to make it excellent...Here is quick re post showing how it can be improved..

123315

[Jack Breakfast]

The branch to the left of owl is compositionally balancing, and it is my opinion that the picture looks much better with that branch left-in. Moreover, it offers a more realistic look at the owl's true environment. Removing that branch makes things look phony, doctored. As with all things artistic, this comes down to personal preference...me, I don't like the spick-and-span...except maybe when it comes to bathrooms, but even then. I like what Doug did in panel #3, just the right amount of contrast for me...

[Satish Ranadive]

Excellent image of gray owl in snow fall.I like the repost by Sachin.
Love the pose,nice tree trunk,snow flakes and beautiful color scheme.

Regards,
Satish.