Boundary Bay short eared owl

[Bob Smith]

This little fellow favoured this stump for it's noon siesta just off the dyke at Boundary Bay, B.C. two winters ago, and was very tolerant of watchers. Canon 5DIV, Sigma 150-600, f5-6.3 OS Contemp., ISO 1000, f/6.3, 1/1250,Enduro Tr. .181675<script type="text/javascript" src="safari-extension://com.ebay.safari.myebaymanager-QYHMMGCMJR/579529cb/background/helpers/prefilterHelper.js"></script><script type="text/javascript" src="safari-extension://com.ebay.safari.myebaymanager-QYHMMGCMJR/579529cb/background/helpers/prefilterHelper.js"></script>

[David Roach]

A perch worthy of this beauty. Love the composition and wish for brighter exp. TFS

[greg cowle]

Very nice composition, and I like the lighting from behind. The sharpness looks good on the face, but the perch looks in better focus than the body, so the focus may be a bit forward?

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Bob, know it well, so kudos in getting the shot, surprised you haven't bumped into young Arash, blowing and pouring with rain when I ws there, bitterly cold, just above zero in Feb. :S3:

Agree with David, albeit viewing on the laptop, it does look/appear dark, however the location doesn't always deliver with nice light. Techs look good apart from exposure. I do like the framing and the negative space to the left, but again, there is this odd, patchy 'blurring' that appears both in the plumage and in the log and I doubt it's a focus issue. Bob, a very quick edit, but keep the dark backdrop, but both SEO & log needs opening up. You have some lovely detail in the head, just lost in the dark shadows.

BTW are you exporting with sharpening through LR Export?

TFS
Steve

PS the jutting RH branch I think looks better if you prune it, crudely done but you get the idea.

[gail bisson]

As soon as I opened the thumbnail, I felt it needed to go brighter. Steve has addressed that issue.
There seems to be some softness in the chest feathers and the beak- not sure if this is a focus issue or perhaps the wind was blowing those feathers?
The perch is beautiful and I love the complimentary BG.
Gail

[Daniel Cadieux]

I actually love the mood of the original post. Wonderful use of backlighting. I agree about the detail though - although well focussed it's got the "too much NR" look to it. That must have been one fun session!

[Bob Smith]

Thank you all for your comments and helpful advice.As is often the case my dark side has influenced my OP but I'm glad Daniel liked the mood I was going for, namely a bright little bird standing out against the dark sea of marsh. The Boundary Bay marsh does tend to be darker as a BG than the Brunswick or upper marshes because the latter, being in the river or right at the outlet, are more predominantly cattails and tule. In this RP I've darkened the BG marsh and slightly lightened the bird and perch. Had to leave the spike Steve, as my cropping efforts were dismal on such a complex shape at the transition line of the removal.181686<script type="text/javascript" src="safari-extension://com.ebay.safari.myebaymanager-QYHMMGCMJR/7d03b7a3/background/helpers/prefilterHelper.js"></script><script type="text/javascript" src="safari-extension://com.ebay.safari.myebaymanager-QYHMMGCMJR/7d03b7a3/background/helpers/prefilterHelper.js"></script><object type="application/x-KPMPlugin" id="kpm_plugin"></object>
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[dankearl]

I like the mood and the setting but the NR on the owl is too much....

[Steve Kaluski]

Bob at ISO1250 and the image properly exposed then any NR will be minimal and in LR I would be surprised you would have gone beyond 12 in Masking. Both Lum & Colour again would be in single figures, you know what I have said about the other sliders, so there should be better definition as per the Bear.

Drop me a line on how you export as I think perhaps we should park the Third party and get you onto Exporting direct from LR. Images will be better and once you get the hang of it you will be laughing and everything is then under one roof which has to be better and the way to go. :S3:

[William Dickson]

I like your repost Bob...I may sharpen the head a wee bit, Love the colours throughout. Bird, perch and BG 'fit' very well.

Will

[John Mack]

Very nice view of this shortie. The overall composition is very nice. The background has nice earth tones as does the owl.

[Jonathan Ashton]

I get the impression the image has been hit hard with noise reduction and part of it has been masked, at ISO 1000 I would have thought there was fairly minimal noise and little requirement for NR. I can understand the chest feathers may look soft, possibly being slightly ruffled but the log and talons not so. It looks like a pleasing shot - certainly worth having another look see.

[arash_hazeghi]

I remember the boundary bay and the owls, one of my best trips to Vancouver was in 2016 when I got to photograph these guys. I like this image but wish the light was better, the image is quite dark as presented here

TFS