another snowy owl

[allanrube]

I would say I can't help myself, but the owls are the only birds around right now.

I am still hoping for a flight shot. No luck today. The owl was behind a log. I tried with a tc on my lens and it wasn't working. So, I was taking my tc off to get ready in case it flew. Guess when it flew?
But, I put the tc back on and got this shot.
D300 - 600 VR with 1.7 tc. 1/100 f6.3 -.3EV

http://allanrube.smugmug.com/photos/495203781_iDqqq-X3.jpg

[Dave Hardcastle]

Nice shot. Some may find the grasses in the foreground distracting but they don't really bother me. Only suggestion would be that the bird could do with being brighter - the whites look a bit too dark to me. There also seems to be a sensor dust spot just to the left of its head at eye-level as we look at it.

Hope you get a flight shot soon!

Dave.

[allanrube]

Dave - how did I miss that spot? Probably because I got up so early this morning to get the shot. :)
Here is a repost - a bit lighter.

http://allanrube.smugmug.com/photos/495238568_stWdW-X3.jpg

[Axel Hildebrandt]

Only snowy owls? That is a nice problem to have. :) The exposure in the repost looks better but I would run NR on the BG. I'm a bit undecided about the position of the bird in the frame. I like it as is, but am wondering what it would like if the bird were further to the left in the frame.

[Dave Hardcastle]

The repost looks much better to me now. Really like it. I've never managed to get a photo of a wild owl in the UK so would love to have something like this in my collection.

[allanrube]

Axel, I will have to rethink my noise reduction. I did add nr to the bg, used Noise Ninja.
I actually would have moved the bird a bit to the right, due to the way its body was leaning, but I had no more room.

[denise ippolito]

Allan, The BG colors are fantastic and in my opinion make this image stand out. I agree with the noise and I agree with you that I would put him to the right because of his body contours. Well done! I love it!!