Great Horn Owl (C) Portrait

[Loi Nguyen]

I spent an afternoon at the Ojai Raptor Center today and got to see this young Great Horn Owl, born in 2013, up close. I had seen Great Horn Owls before on my last year trip to Florida, but at a distance. The center rescues injured raptors and rehabilitates them. For those that can't be re-released, the centers keeps them in captivity and once a year has an open house for the public.

I thought I would share a close up image of this beautiful species.

5D3
70-200f2.8 II @ 200mm
1/400
f8
ISO-800
HH
Cropped slightly on top.

Hope you like it.

Thank you for your comments.

Loi

[Ian Wilson]

I would like more DOF but a super image nevertheless. Tight crop works here. Well done. Ian

[keith mitchell]

Hi loi,lovely detail on the plumage and beak, my only little nit is the eye looks does not look quite right on my monitor, will be interested to see what others think.

Cheers Keith.

[Shawn Zierman]

Gorgeous owl. Love the expression. Details are nicely sharpened. I like the natural looking background...the eye details don't jive with the natural looking background though :) ...just in terms of natural vs hand of man...if you catch my drift...wonder if that was what Keith was referencing...

[Loi Nguyen]

Hi Keith, I see what you meant about the eye. Funny I didn't notice it before. I was told the owl had cataracts in his right eye and thus cannot be released. I will look for another frame that shows the left eye only then. When he looked straight at me, the pupil of the right is much bigger presumably because that is the eye that does not see well. Thank you for poiting it out.

Loi

[Binu John]

Excellent close up shot, Loi! Love the vertical composition, exposure and feather details! TFS