Great Grey Owlets

[Dennis "Curly" Buchner]

I shot this in June and this is the only the second confirmed Great Grey Owl nest in Michigan. THe female did come in and feed the owlets but was on the wrong side for me to get any good photos. I shot this in pouring rain as this was the only day I could go north.
1/200 @f/5.6
MarkIV
iso 800
EF 70-200+1.4
Flash

[Richard Stern]

Great find, and great expressions on the birds, with both having a convergent squint. I like the "drowned rat" look. The green leaves overlapping the larger owlet's head don't bother me, but I can see that they might bother some. The bright patch next to the head at upper left, bothers me more, but I don't know how that could be eliminated, given the habitat. Perhaps someone else has an idea. Also the twigs next to the left hand bird's head, which could perhaps be cloned out. .

Richard

[Ben_Sadd]

Very funny pair and a great find. The little guy on the left looks rather peeved. Perhaps rightly so, given that he seems to have been getting less food and also has to sit in the wet spot!

I would have liked the empty canvas on right to have been on the left.

[Scott Frye]

Those wonderful eyes so dominate the picture that I notice little else -- good focus job on the fine chest feathers

[Arthur Morris]

Yes to loving the drowned-rat look and those eyes. I'd crop from our right to a near-square and lighten the middle and dark tones on the birds.

[stuart wanuck]

love the eyes!

[Joerg Rockenberger]

Love the stare of both. Amazed about the difference in size. Hope the little one makes it.

The left one is significantly sharper than the right one. Additional selective sharpening of the latter - given that you already were at the edge re DOF and shutter speed - might be beneficial. Bright areas in the background don't bother me as much but more space on top would be great.

JR

[Troy Lim]

Nice find for sure....2nd nest, wow, very nice.
Too bad DOF was too shallow, that the adult is a bit softer. A good documentary shot.

[Dennis "Curly" Buchner]

THanks everybody for your help and both are owlets and I do have a photo of mom bringing a mouse to the smaller owlet, but I was on the wrong side of tree to get a good shot and my life story.