Ural Owl

[Dennis Binda]

Olympus E-30, Olympus Zuiko 300mm f/2.8 + 2.0x, 600mm, ISO 100, 1/100s, f9.0
Hokkaido, Japan

[Ákos Lumnitzer]

This is great Dennis! I love the snow cap around the top of the hollow entrance. :) DId you do any cloning in the upper left corner? Thanks for sharing this stunner. :)

[Daniel Cadieux]

This is pretty neat! I normally like to see eyes, but this sleeping pose works for me. I love the framing of the snow around the owl, but I'm wondering if pointing the lens a little higher may have prevented clipping the top top part? I would probably add contrast to the image (except for the snow as you risk blowing the highlights there). Congrats on such a fine scene!!

[Dennis Binda]

Hi Ákos,
Thanks for your comment. No cloning here, cropped from horizontal and some sharpening.

[Juan Aragonés]

I have seen very good images from Japan in the past week and this one is excelent too. The closed eyes are great in this case and I like the "halo" of white snow around the owl´s head. Very good job Dennis

[David Roach]

Now that's cool!!! Well seen and executed!!! Agree with Daniel on getting the top of the snow in the frame. Love it as is, though. Congrats!!!

[Phil Ertel]

I love the serene feeling the closed eyes gives this image. As other mentioned, I like the snow. It almost appears as the owl is using the snow as a pillow. I agree with Daniel in that a little contrast might help. Adding a couple of points of black to the black in selective colors and possibly to the neutrals might do the trick without blowing the whites (in PS). Well done!

[Arthur Morris]

Yeah, me too. Love the closed eyes. And the snow like all the rest. And the soft light...

[Stu Bowie]

Nicely framed in his home and his "snow roof " takes this over the top. Amazing camoflauge to blend in well with the bark of the tree.

[Gyorgy Szimuly]

Hmmm, do you mean it was taken in Hokkaido, Japan? :O :)
Anyway a lovely image of an owl species I love. The snowcap above the bird is funny.

Szimi