Snowy Owl Portrait

[Jim Fenton]

I went down to Plymouth MA Saturday afternoon looking for late shorebirds but found this bird instead.

It was perched on top of a dune and it's legs were behind a log laying down and since I was at a steep incline to the bird (It flew in and I couldn't move without spooking it), I did a body shot sort of portrait.

The lighting kinda stunk and it was drizzling slight;y, but I was still pleased with the results given the conditions.

Nikon D300, 500 AFSVR, ISO 800, F7.1

[Mike Lentz]

The exposure and look are nice! I like it!

[Daniel Cadieux]

Nice sighting. Looks like you were awfully close! I find the angle a little on the steepish side, and the eye on our right looks like it could use a bit of work on it to give it some life (and there is some colour noise on both irises...did you lighten them during post-processing?)

[Doug Brown]

I like the way the bird is staring down at you, but as Daniel said, the eye on the right side of the image doesn't have a lot of life in it. The steep angle is a bit too steep. Overall, not my favorite snowy image of yours. Of course I've yet to even see a snowy, much less photograph one.

[Jim Fenton]

The steep angle is due to the fact that I was below the bird...and it was a steep incline :)

I haven' done squat to the eyes as of yet, but I was considering trying to lighten them. The "dead eyes" are due to the light being behind and diagonally to the left of the subject.

Not my favorite snowy of all times either, but as snowy owl images sell around here, not a throwaway either (with some work).

[Stu Bowie]

Being so envious of you guys even being able to see these wonderful birds, I would take this any day. I actually like the eye contact, and he is certainly aware of you. Well captured Jim.

[Linda Robbins]

I like the regal look he is giving you, and he seems quite relaxed. I think lightening the the eyes will improve this nice image, and I might sharpen it a bit more. Nice capture.

[Jeff Nadler]

Jim, perhaps it's because of years of conditioning from these forums, but the high angle doesn't work well for me. I actually took quite a few recently with a similar situation and wish these birds would pick lower perches where i live. Maybe if the eyes were more visible? If mine, I would select the eyes via magic wand, drawing them, or quick mask and brighten them up via curves, shadows/highlihhts or a layer-screen.

[Patty Sullivan]

I agree with the person who said I wish they were around where I lived. I love these birds. Really beautiful creatures. Those eyes, like he is saying "all right you can photograph me, but make me look good!" They really are regal. Oh to have a jet and money to just travel and photograph birds everywhere... That really is the dream.