Great Gray Owl

[Isaac Grant]

Here is another frame of my short time with a Great Gray Owl in mid February. It was quite dark when I took this photo and I did not up my ISO as much as I should have. But I like the look of the dark owl against the dark background in the snow. This is cropped to vertical. Previously I posted a similar photo to this where I processed it differently but I think this version is much closer to what my eyes saw.

Canon 1DX and Canon 500 f4 ii + 1.4x iii.ISO 2500, SS 1/2000. There was a strong wing blowing and I needed the SS.

Processed in DPP 4.6 and PS.

[Lorant Voros]

Classic image of this beautiful owl. I love the winter feel with the falling snow, the stare of the bird and the general brownish color of the image. With the SS you managed a track sharp shot in the strong wind. Well done.

[Bill Dix]

Stunning shot of this beauty. I like the dark feel of it, and the graphic quality, aided by the snowflakes and the luminous stare. Would make a great book illustration. I also love the way he is holding on to that small upright twig.

[Isaac Grant]

Thanks guys. Bill when we went we stayed on the elevated road and were hoping the bird would land near us. We in jest joked how it would be cool if it landed on that spot as it was close and had nice separation from the background. But we never thought it would land there as it was such a small branch. When it did land there we couldn't believe it. Luck was on our side for sure.

[Matthew Jones]

Fantastic capture Isaac. I too noticed the small twig perch on the light branch and wondered why? then read Bill's and your comments - amazing circumstances, sometimes it just happens! The soft breast feathers and the sharp facial disc and eyes are a wonderful contrast, the snow is a bonus, congrats.

[Daniel Cadieux]

My favorite part is that foot gripping the small twig - glad you had a story to it! Shows you how light these guys actually are. I love the comp and perfect BG. I see three oof snowflakes on the face area that I would remove, but overall this certainly is quite a beautiful image!!

[Isaac Grant]

Thanks Dan. I knew exactly what 3 you meant before I even had to look. Went back and forth on them and if it made sense to clone out or what. Was not sure if it would look fake if no snow was on face or not. Anyway, here is a version where the 3 are removed.

[Loi Nguyen]

Daniel has such good eyes. I have to say that the cloned version looks better although I normally don't clone mine. Love the dark, wintery feel and the snow flake is what made this image. Well done.

[stuart wanuck]

great image

[Daniel Cadieux]

Yep, those three flakes gone make a big difference IMO.

[Joseph Przybyla]

Beautiful bird, I would have loved to have had the experience seeing it in the wild and then photographing it. Nicely done, thank you for sharing.

[David Salem]

This looks fantastic Isaac and I think it's one of the better perched great grey owl shots I've seen. The well-lit eyes and the direct stare really make this one special along with the nice background and the falling snow. Can't believe he landed on that little perch.
That kind of stuff happens to me quite often and I used to think it was luck but now me and my buddy Glenn just laughing knowing that it has a lot to do with being out the field a lot, understanding your subject and making opportunities happen. Our joke is "you don't get shots like this on the couch".
Well done

[Isaac Grant]

Thanks everyone.

David, this perch is slightly deceiving. I was standing on an elevated road and this was really the very top of a small tree that was aboout 15 feet tall. There was nothing to perch on for about another 30 feet back so this was really the best place to land and survey the field below and to the right. Was fortunate that the top of that tree was at eye level. But yes it is shocking that it landed there. Agree totally about being in the field. I have been a life long birder as my father took me since I was 4. I think that helps a great deal in getting certain shots. I know the birds very well and also their tendencies and tolerances. I set up there in case it landed at this spot, but didn't know that it would. Just knew that it was the best spot for it to hunt that field. Luck was on my side. I recently posted a shot of a Purple Sandpiper that I was standing in the freezing cold ocean to get shots of. That was for sure a not from your couch shot!

[arash_hazeghi]

did you steal my frame Isaac :D

great frame and I would have done it exactly the same way

168833

[Isaac Grant]

Thanks Arash and man that is a pretty Great Gray shot.