Great horned Owl - environment & portrait

[Anand Kavalapara]

Took these in April 2009, at Mt. Auburn cemetery, Cambridge MA. Mix of back lit evening sun and shade

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_jC7ujdJKVq4/SzzEZj3MoPI/AAAAAAAAIec/YfNXWW7dF_8/s800/IMG_8405.JPG
Sigma 500 f/4.5 with Tamron 1.4x on 40D,
ISO 1250, 1/50 sec, f/6.3 with MLU and remote release.

Higher iso due to changing light conditions and the TC.

Second one as a separate post below

Thanks for your C&C
Anand

[Axel Hildebrandt]

Anand, I removed one of the images because the forum software can't create a thumbnail when more than one image file is in the original post. You could reply to your own thread and post the full image.

Great find, BTW. I would not sharpen the entire image, just the bird.

[Dave Blinder]

Hi Anand, the black levels need to come up considerably in post-processing, as "the blacks are not black".

I did the adjustments on the JPG using ACR, raised blacks and used the fill light slider to keep detail in the darker regions. Also increased saturation a bit, applied an 8% warming photo filter.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4056/4230865365_acfe8d1cd3_o.jpg

[Don Lacy]

Hi Anand, Nice find and a very difficult situation to create an image in. I think the image would be stronger if there was more light on the Owl did you use flash?

[Anand Kavalapara]

Environment. A closer crop losing the OOF branches would reduce the environment.

I was on a small hillock facing the owl. so could get the shot at almost eye level.

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_jC7ujdJKVq4/SzzEVocHfkI/AAAAAAAAIeY/OjShHu5JRdU/s800/IMG_8366.JPG

Sigma 500 f/4.5 on 40D,
ISO 400, 1/50 sec, f/4.5 with MLU and remote release.

[Anand Kavalapara]

Thanks Axel: I put the second image separately.

Thanks Dave: Your PP does improve the image.

Thanks Don: No flash was used. The second image came out brighter as the sun came out and the reflected light was on the owl.

[Arthur Morris]

Dave, Thanks for the reposting efforts. Your certainly had more pop but your last two reposts (this and a Green Heron???) have been a bit on the dark side. Here, you needed to lighten the darkest areas, the face. I did that plus come Eye Borrowing.

Anand, I much prefer the wider image in Pane #5. In Pane 1 you got yourself in the best spot but the vegetation near the head was impossible to overcome. I like the two open eyes in the Pane 5 image.

[James Yule]

I think its over sharpened, tough image because of the surroundings.