Another snowy flight shot [Archive] - BirdPhotographers.net

arash_hazeghi

02-22-2012, 09:37 AM

Here is another shot from the snowy owls in Ocean Shores

109140

1D4 700mm f/7.1 1/2000sec ISO 400

see the large size here (http://ari1982.smugmug.com/Avian/Raptors/Snowy-Owl/20950662_BW7THt#%21i=1673326962&k=H47J42R&lb=1&s=X3)

dankearl

02-22-2012, 10:02 AM

Arash, just superb, flying barrels!
Nice getting the wings up and i like the FG grasses.

Randy Stout

02-22-2012, 10:38 AM

Arash:

Sharp, well exposed, great wing position, nice environmental feel.

I like the grasses in the foreground, but personally might do a version with the one pointing right at his face removed.

Cheers

Randy

arash_hazeghi

02-22-2012, 10:48 AM

Thanks Randy I thought about it however I decided to keep everything as it adds to the image IMO, plus this is almost a FF with no post processing except for a small crop so I figure I keep it pristine :)

Don Nelson

02-22-2012, 11:05 AM

Nice one, Arash
If it were mine, I'd lighten that small shadow on the leftmost wing -- the single feather shadow is dark enough to cut the wing. It draws the eye away from the rest of the bird.

Clemens Vanderwerf

02-22-2012, 11:20 AM

Very nice! You guys keep cranking these snowy's out. I agree with Randy on the grass blade.

Doug Brown

02-22-2012, 12:02 PM

Looks much better at 1024 than at 800, and it looked pretty great at 800!

arash_hazeghi

02-22-2012, 12:04 PM

Looks much better at 1024 than at 800, and it looked pretty great at 800!

that was a different one I posted on the other forum ;)

gail bisson

02-22-2012, 12:32 PM

WOW! Is this an image from your lost then found CF cards? Love everything but agree that if not a contest entry would eliminate the blade of grass pointing at the face. I really like the "moustache" in this one,
Gail

Peter Seidel

02-22-2012, 12:32 PM

Special shot. Great wing detail, and face detail. If I had the skills to remove the very closest branch to the bird's face I would to that but I don't think I'd change anything else.

P.S. Where is Ocean Shores? - is that in/near the Bay Area? I am south of SF.

Pete

arash_hazeghi

02-22-2012, 01:40 PM

Special shot. Great wing detail, and face detail. If I had the skills to remove the very closest branch to the bird's face I would to that but I don't think I'd change anything else.

P.S. Where is Ocean Shores? - is that in/near the Bay Area? I am south of SF.

Pete

Thank you all.

Peter this was from Ocean Shores in WA. There are no snowy owls in Cali.

Don Nelson

02-22-2012, 01:42 PM

Peter
Ocean Shores is on the Washington Coast
It would be a flight into Seattle-Tacoma for you (or a long drive up I-5)
Nearby is Boundary Bay in S Vancouver (not Vancouver Island).
There are many other Snowy Owls along the coast of the Puget Sound from Olympia north to the border.

The closest SNOW to you would be near Burns, Oregon. Its a real tame one - right next to the road. Other Oregon SNOW have mostly headed back north or to better locations. We had several others on coast and in Willamette Valley earlier this winter. And there was one reported recently from Humboldt Bay, CA, but I haven't seen an update recently.

If you were in Dallas, Tx, there was one reported at a ball field there last week ;-) So they have been very far south compared to normal years. (last year we had a single one on the Oregon Coast at Siletz Bay, and none at Ocean Shores). ANd then there was one that the Honolulu airport people killed in December as it was navigational hazard. So they were very (re)productive last year....these are all immature (not juvenile -- those would be the ones in still in the nest) and an occasional male. Females took the better territories over winter up north. Every other bird heads south to find prey. None we've seen on the west coast have "Starved to death"

Don

Jeff Sorbie

02-22-2012, 01:51 PM

Great photo Arash. I love these birds but have yet to see one in Ottawa, Canada. I hope it was flying North East...LOL

Stu Bowie

02-22-2012, 02:41 PM

Hi Arash, great flying posture,raised wings, together with the flying angle towards you. You seem to have the exposure and whites sorted on these guys, and overall, you have nailed the sharpness too. Im fine with the grasses, although as pointed out, that one blade should go. :w3 Well captured.

Karl Egressy

02-22-2012, 05:16 PM

Looks great, Arash.

Sidharth Kodikal

02-22-2012, 10:04 PM

Amazing IQ, bird angle and pose, Arash. All that combined with the great habitat make this a big winner.

arash_hazeghi

02-22-2012, 11:51 PM

thank you all

Frank Schauf

02-22-2012, 11:52 PM

Really nice flight shot and great details.

arash_hazeghi

02-23-2012, 01:17 AM

if you insist here is a version w/o the grass

109167

Robert Holguin

02-23-2012, 02:56 AM

Wow!!! With or without the grass this images is superb. Exposed well and love the flight pose along with its enviroment.
Very well done.

Bill Dix

02-23-2012, 11:46 AM

Loved the OP; love the repost even more. Exposure, flight angle, comp and habitat are terrific. Keep 'em coming.

Jonathan Ashton

02-23-2012, 01:12 PM

Lovely shot, just about perfect, I like the original, the repost looks almost too good to be true!!

arash_hazeghi

02-23-2012, 01:52 PM

Thanks everyone for comments

Peter Seidel

02-23-2012, 03:54 PM

Hi Don - thanks for the info. I don't travel north much. Too bad they're not around here - then again, if I see them here that's probably a sign of bigger problems.

Pete

Peter
Ocean Shores is on the Washington Coast
It would be a flight into Seattle-Tacoma for you (or a long drive up I-5)
Nearby is Boundary Bay in S Vancouver (not Vancouver Island).
There are many other Snowy Owls along the coast of the Puget Sound from Olympia north to the border.

The closest SNOW to you would be near Burns, Oregon. Its a real tame one - right next to the road. Other Oregon SNOW have mostly headed back north or to better locations. We had several others on coast and in Willamette Valley earlier this winter. And there was one reported recently from Humboldt Bay, CA, but I haven't seen an update recently.

If you were in Dallas, Tx, there was one reported at a ball field there last week ;-) So they have been very far south compared to normal years. (last year we had a single one on the Oregon Coast at Siletz Bay, and none at Ocean Shores). ANd then there was one that the Honolulu airport people killed in December as it was navigational hazard. So they were very (re)productive last year....these are all immature (not juvenile -- those would be the ones in still in the nest) and an occasional male. Females took the better territories over winter up north. Every other bird heads south to find prey. None we've seen on the west coast have "Starved to death"

Don

Peter Seidel

02-23-2012, 03:56 PM

Thanks Arash,

Saw Don's note too. We have some burrowing owls in this area, though they're a bit tricky to find. Not quite as majestic as those big snowie owls.

Great shooting.

Pete

Thank you all.

Peter this was from Ocean Shores in WA. There are no snowy owls in Cali.