Northern Hawk Owl

[Matthew Studebaker]

http://www.matthewstudebaker.com/ornithology/images/northern_hawk_owl_i8706a.jpg
Canon 40D | Canon 500mm f4 IS | 1/1250 f8 | ISO 350
Many thanks to Jody and David for their help getting this one!

[gary rouleau]

Wonderful action shot, with plenty super detail. I would just fix the white bar in the BG.

[Nikolay Staykov - shotlandetsa]

Striking image!
I wonder how the birds' wings get motion blur provided the 1/1250s?? This should be enough for freezing the wings I guess?
I love the post process - it is spot on. The blood over the nails tell us more for the story :)

As Grouleau have suggested, cloning out the white distractive bar will be a good idea.

[Gary Murray]

Matthew, great composition, razor sharp, you must be thrilled to have nailed it.

[Dave Courtenay]

Superb-agree with above comments-still a cracking shot as is

[David Hemmings]

Fantastic image Matthew full of life with those wings up in that sweet light. I wouldn't clone the white area out, it is part of the landscape and not distracting at all really:)

[Marko Matesic]

I like all...I would leave it as it is....absolute stunner!

[Jody Melanson]

Awesome image, buddy! If I was to try and find anything wrong in this, I would crop it square and give him some more room in the lower left corner to look into.

[Steve Roman]

Great pose Matthew , would try to tone down the white in the backgroud some.