Ural Owl

Olympus E-30, Olympus Zuiko 300mm f/2.8 + 2.0x, 600mm, ISO 100, 1/100s, f9.0
Hokkaido, Japan

This is great Dennis! I love the snow cap around the top of the hollow entrance. :) DId you do any cloning in the upper left corner? Thanks for sharing this stunner. :)

This is pretty neat! I normally like to see eyes, but this sleeping pose works for me. I love the framing of the snow around the owl, but I'm wondering if pointing the lens a little higher may have prevented clipping the top top part? I would probably add contrast to the image (except for the snow as you risk blowing the highlights there). Congrats on such a fine scene!!

Hi Ákos,
Thanks for your comment. No cloning here, cropped from horizontal and some sharpening.

I have seen very good images from Japan in the past week and this one is excelent too. The closed eyes are great in this case and I like the "halo" of white snow around the owl´s head. Very good job Dennis

Now that's cool!!! Well seen and executed!!! Agree with Daniel on getting the top of the snow in the frame. Love it as is, though. Congrats!!!

I love the serene feeling the closed eyes gives this image. As other mentioned, I like the snow. It almost appears as the owl is using the snow as a pillow. I agree with Daniel in that a little contrast might help. Adding a couple of points of black to the black in selective colors and possibly to the neutrals might do the trick without blowing the whites (in PS). Well done!

Yeah, me too. Love the closed eyes. And the snow like all the rest. And the soft light...

Nicely framed in his home and his "snow roof " takes this over the top. Amazing camoflauge to blend in well with the bark of the tree.

Hmmm, do you mean it was taken in Hokkaido, Japan? :O :)
Anyway a lovely image of an owl species I love. The snowcap above the bird is funny.

Szimi