GHO in the Sun

[Steve Canuel]

1.4xTC on my 1-400L (560mm). Left the tree trunk and branches in the pic to frame the bird. Canon 20D, ISO 400, f8, 1/800.
Steve

[John Cooper]

Love the detail and textures that you have captured here Steve - the owl blends in so well with the tree-bark. I feel it would work very well in a vertical format.

[Arthur Morris]

I like this carefully designed image with perfect EXP. Just wished that he was a bit less sleepy... Next time you might try rustling the leaves with your foot and see if he thought it was a mouse... They will usually only look once so best to be ready if you do that and he opens his eyes and looks at you.

later and love, artie

[Grady Weed]

I do like it as is. However, I hardly ever suggest cloning. But the left jutting L shaped branch might be a good canidate. What do you think? Love the owl, even with one eye shaded. He does blend in quite nicely.

[Axel Hildebrandt]

Nice find and light. I don't know if you could have moved a bit to your right without scaring the bird but I like that he sits so close to the trunk. I saw an owl once that didn't open the eyes at all even though it was well aware of my presence. So this is better than nothing. :)

[Harold Davis]

beautiful capture, steve. i love the GHO's. like artie said, more eye contact would have been a bonus. rattling keys works really well!!

[Dick Boone]

I like the fact that the branch on the lower left and the pine needles on the upper right both point at the subject. IF I were going to modify anything, I might shave enough off the top to eliminate the horizontal branch. Congrats on a great image, and thanks for sharing.

God bless.....Dick

[Steve Canuel]

Thank you all for the comments and suggestions. John, I did try a vertical format but felt he was a bit boxed in by the large tree on the left. Grady, I thought about cloning out the branch and shadow but felt they provided interest (broke up the pattern of the bark). I thought about cloning out just the shadow but thought that would be too fake. As for eye contact, he was aware of me, watched me approach, then just turned his head away and ignored me. I was on the downward side of an opposing hill and didn't see a better angle for the light and a clear shot.