Long day with Snowy

Photo taken at Damon Point, Ocean Shores Washington. After so many dark and rainy days, last Sunday was mostly sunny from sunrise to sunset. There were not many photographers there and most left before the beautiful red sunset and the moon rise that followed. I took two shots of the bird and the moon, focusing on the bird and then the moon, and combined them using auto align in PS. Also added a little noise reduction (topaz).Nikon D3S500m f4 plus 1.4 converterISO 1600, f5.6, 1/125secManual Exposure

What a great idea to do a composite, Laurie, and how smart of you to stay later!!! It usually pays to have patience. I feel this could be an even more powerful image with more space at the bottom/with more of the perch. The snowy is sitting just a little too low for my eyes.

Did you take any of the bird with the out of focus moon in the BG?

Very well thought out!!!

Very creative idea and well executed. I agree with Marina for more perch on the bottom. And if possible I'd be tempted to move the moon a bit more to the right of the bird. The lighting on the Snowy is fabulous and works so well with the night bkgd.

I like the comp. A killer images:5

A very good idea but have to agree with earlier mentioned comments on more visible perch and the moon slightly to the right.
Well done waiting for this moment though.

greetings,

Jeroen Stel

A beautiful and very evocative image, Laurie. Well envisioned and captured. I might have wished for both eyes showing, but lovely as is. I agree with Marina's and Nancy's comments re. placement.

One of the sweetest images I've seen in a while.

Very nice capture! I like the idea and its originality. congrats!

Very sweet, indeed!

Love the moonlit look but I think you could selectively lighten the Owl just a tiny bit without losing the effect.

Thank you all for your comments. I would have liked more perch but the moon was moving fast and there were about six of us all trying to get the best and only spot for a photo so it is what it is. I first took horizontals using the same technique then as the moon was behind the bird I took shots with a blurry moon, all of this in a very short period of time.

This is a wonderful image. Very well thought out, excellent pp work. I really love this.Well done.

Your idea and work payed off. this is a cool image . My only wish would be a little more lightness to the perch.

Wow this is beautiful image!

Wonderful, Laurie, love the comp, and good suggestions above to make it even stronger.

This is great Laurie, you did very well. since the middle of the frame is a bit empty I would take off from that area and add to the bottom including more of the nice perch!

the colors and details on the bird is exceptional given the low light, did you use flash by any chance?

Well done

Gorgeous and different...Magic feel and mood. I like Arash's suggestion!

Laurie,

this is a great great frame you have made anyone would love to have. Arash has a very strong selling point i would do so to make it more comprehensive if personal ethics of such modification allowed.

again an excellent image.

Wonderful and creative image, Laurie, so nice to see something different with a snowy! Love everything about this. Maybe try selectively lightening the owl as Mike suggests, just to make it stand out a tad more.