Another from my trip with Isaac back in July. We happened upon this gorgeous Spotted Owl in the canyons of Southeastern AZ, and good times ensued.
Tech:
Nikon D750
600mm f4 AF-S I
Nikon SB-910
1.4X TC
1/80
f8
ISO 1250
flash TTL -0.3 EV
tripod mounted
10-05-2018, 11:10 PM
Isaac Grant
Sick bird, sick night and sick shot. As good or better than any of the species that I have seen. Killer eye contact and perch. Details look amazing. I'm not sure people understand how good this shot is and how difficult of a species this is to find, let alone photograph at night. They inhabit steep canyons and typically are only at the tops of the canyons. Our efforts were greatly rewarded with a bird, photos and an experience that I will never forget. Being in front of so many owl really helped us fine tune the flash settings. Your are spot on perfect here with warm and natural colors. Only thing is that on the 5k imac, the green at the bottom of the frame looks a bit grainy. Easy fix with a little more aggressive noise reduction.
10-06-2018, 03:18 AM
Stu Bowie
Hi Walker, excellent control with the flash, and good eye contact too. I like the overall detail on the Owl, it shows up nicely, and it pops well against the night BG. Well captured.
10-06-2018, 06:13 AM
John Mack
Nice owl,nice pose and good detail. The flash makes this one really pop. Well done.
10-06-2018, 07:43 AM
annmpacheco
Excellent image Walker, well done all around, especially at 104 degrees and rattlesnakes as company! yikes, Flash work wonderful... I agree w Isaac's green on the bottom, easy fix
10-06-2018, 10:43 AM
Jim Crosswell
Great IQ, details, eye contact and composition. The one little branch poking up on the Owls left looks like a birds toe.
Excellent image a Walker!
10-07-2018, 09:19 AM
Arthur Morris
Excellent flash technique. A simpler perch would have been great.
with love, artie
10-07-2018, 09:57 AM
Bill Dix
Amazing shot of an amazing bird. I can only imagine the thrill you guys must have felt when you "happened upon" this gorgeous creature. I suspect "happened upon" makes it sound much too easy.
10-07-2018, 03:21 PM
William Dickson
A trip well worth it...This is looking real good, and the story makes it even better. Very well done.