Eastern Screech Owl after sunset

[Michael Thompson]

I saw this little Owl along a trail in the dark woods, and it wouldn't open its eyes til it got darker, but it was very still so I set up my cheap tripod and gave it a try, and a couple turned out ok. I didn't want to use a flash, though that might have worked ok. I just got my new 7D ll and am really liking it so far! 100-400 ll 800 iso 1/30th ss !! f7.1 processed with LR cc

[Andrew Harrell]

Michael: Wow, nice encounter! I wonder if a night-bird like this owl would be disturbed by a flash ....

1/30 sec? Wowsers, even with a tripod, that's fabulous.

It looks like you are shooting at an upwards angle. I suspect there was nothing you could do about it short of having a 20' ladder with you, but I wonder how this pic would have looked if you could have gotten higher up and more on level with the owl. How far away were you and how high up was the bird? Did you have to crop much?

Lovely pic, interested to hear what others have to say ......


AP

[Diane Miller]

Gorgeous, and what a look!! It may just be the way the feathers are, but the bird looks a little smoothed out, as though with noise reduction.

Did you select/mask to lighten the cavity? It looks a little cut out around the head --- I'd soften the edges if it is a mask (which it should be). But if you only did it in LR with the Auto Mask feature, it isn't nearly as sophisticated as masking in PS.

Would be nice if the camera was aimed just a smidgen higher so the top of the cavity wasn't so close to the top. A little at the bottom could be sacrificed.

A cheap tripod can be helped a lot by pulling the camera tightly against your forehead and bracing everything as well as possible. Use the same technique as in handholding of pulling your forearms in against your sides.

Hope you get many more chances here -- what a wonderful find!!

[Krishna Prasad kotti]

Awesome shot. I love the feathers and the cute look. I was looking to shoot owls this spring but could not find them in texas.

I was wondering if you could change your crop such that you an leave a bit more space at the top. Its just a thought I like this shot either way...

Waiting to see more from you..

[Michael Thompson]

Hi AP, I do not know, but UI can imagine it wouldn't be too pleasant to get flashed too much. Yes, upward, getting eye level would be better, but no 20 ladder here, don't want the pic that bad ;) plus Owl jr. would probably duck out of sight! I had to crop off the sides and top because of ugly over exposed white sky. I will probably de crop a bit when I can add a better background in photo shop some day :)

[Adhika Lie]

Beautiful. I have always wanted to shoot owls but haven't had the chance yet. I think most of my comments have been said by the others, but with that tight top, I would recommend cutting off the bottom (square crop) and make the hole to kinda frame the owl. Hope to see more, Michael!

[Michael Thompson]

Hi Diane,
Yes, I used a little noise reduction, but also the feathers had that look to them, so a bit of both.
No selective brightening was used in the cavity, that cut look is in all the raw images, I noticed it too.
Actually the camera aim was fine, I just cropped off some of the top, because the tree narrows, revealing ugly over exposed sky. I will have to un crop it and do something with the sky in photoshop. some day...
I agree with the tripod, I really do have to do it that way, though the amazing image stabilization with the 100-400ll really helps too!

[Diane Miller]

I often have the issue with white sky behind. Would it have worked here to rotate the camera a bit to parallel the branch and reduce the amount of sky? It would tilt the bird but maybe could work a little bit.

Not hard to substitute a different BG for the white sky! But more than I can write here... Learn masking and layers and you have it made! Check out my tutorials on my web site for starters.

[Michael Thompson]

Hi Krishna. Yes I can, I would just have to bring it into photoshop to fix the sky where the tree narrows, a pretty easy fix.

[Michael Thompson]

Hi Diane
No, I tried all angles, nothing, I always look for that because I like not having to add in photoshop if at all possible.
I do not know a lot about masking and layers, I will check out your site, thanks!
~MT

[Michael Thompson]

Hi Adhika, Thanks! I thought about cropping more on the bottom to balance it out, that might just work.