Contrast

[Don Lacy]

Spent the morning with some Burrowing Owls and was able to put this guy against a dark BG that was also in shadow to create some nice contrast for this portrait. Some people might not like the sand on his face but for me it adds a lot of character.

MKIII, 500 f/4 + 1.4 TC, f/8 at 1/1000, Manual Mode, Evaluative Metered, Raw, ISO 640, Tripod, Small crop

[Marina Scarr]

Hi Don:

You have achieved a nice portrait here. Agree that the sand on the face adds character and I very much like the dark BG. The one thing which could have improved this capture would have been had the light been a little lower. The upper eye on these owls is always a challenge.

[Roger Clark]

Don,

I like it. By now people may be getting the message that I like higher phase angle images. I agree with Marina about the high angle of light, but as one still sees the eye quite nicely, it still works well. You could lighten the part of the eye that is in shade a little. I love the phase angle (must be what, 45 degrees?) and gives nice feather detail and form to the shape of the bird.

Roger

[Don Lacy]

Don,

I like it. By now people may be getting the message that I like higher phase angle images. I agree with Marina about the high angle of light, but as one still sees the eye quite nicely, it still works well. You could lighten the part of the eye that is in shade a little. I love the phase angle (must be what, 45 degrees?) and gives nice feather detail and form to the shape of the bird.

Roger
allready lighten the shadow part of the eye Roger and darken the lighted part:bg3: image was made around 10AM as I was heading back to my car.

[Daniel Cadieux]

I too like the grains of sand (except the one near the eye - at the 10 o'clock position), and I too would have liked better illumination of the eye. All else looks good.

P.S. You could eliminate what looks like a tiny piece of feather floating in front of the face.

[Grace Scalzo]

Sand is great. I like your treatment, Don, I can imagine that this would make a nice print. No one else has mentioned it, but I can see a bit of a trim from the left side.

[Robert Holguin]

Excellent close up shot. Great feather detail and I also think the sand adds to the pic. Very well done.

[christopher galeski]

good close up shot,plenty of detail in the feathers,nic BG,and the sand does not bother me ,its all part of the shot,thanks.

[Troy Lim]

It is a great image over all. It would have been better if I don't so much of the right side of the face, my mind keeps searching for the right eye..

[Tom Redd]

Don, lovely image. Excellent detail and I like the BG. The "feather floating" that Daniel refers to is a bit distracting but an easy fix obviously. Looks like you are enjoying the new rig. TFS