Tawny Owl family

[John Robinson]

Tawny Owls taken in 1972 I was inspired by Troy on seeing his recent owl work to look deep into the darkest realms of the old slide cabinets.
( Roughly 20 thousand- think of the cost !!)
I found these done on a nest in the orchard near the house and had rigged a dim light up just enough to see what was happening.
This pic and many others were taken in 1972. I used two small sunpack flashes from the localchemist which cost £3 each !
I can remember the exposure was F5.6 but thats about it.
Pentax Spotmatic. I had to wait a week to get the test shots on the nest back as a test !! How things have changed, and as I mentioned this sort of owl photography is frowned upon now in this Country.
I never had the skightest problem with this bird but have to be honest and say I have with others. Remember in those days we did not have the choices we have now.
Cheers
JohnR
PS Copied of a 100 ASA Ecktachrome transparency

[Robert Kimbrell]

Thats a great post. you have a lot here to like, Its. kind of hard to offer up critique as this was takes so long ago, but I sure enjoyed looking, tfs.

[Karl Egressy]

Great family interaction image, John. I have hard time to comment on the IQ. Back then I only had an East German made camera with one lens, a 50 mm Zeiss and no bird images at all.

[Binu John]

Great interaction shot, John! Very nice use of flash! TFS

[Andy Shepherd]

An image from a different era and very nicely taken too, matey. What's the pale coloured, hand drawn line above the owls?

[John Robinson]

Thanks guys
Andy It may be where I copied the slide in two sections or could be where I cloned out a large white patch of owl poo ! ( they don't just cough pellets up !)


Andy- Got it !
Its where I had to copy a super slide in two goes (my home made thingy will barely do 35mm.) Bit lazy in lining the two halves up !
Thanks f0r spotting it.
John

[Daniel Cadieux]

Don't want to make you feel too old...but this image was taken before I was even born Nice grouping and a very juicy-looking worm. You handled the situation quite well considering how tough film photography was compared to how spoiled we are now with instant digital. I would just suggest getting rid of the "steel-eye" of the two lower owlets.

[John Robinson]

Thanks Daniel
It is interesting how over time attitudes change as well. Its best not to know some of the things that the pioneer bird snappers got up to. And of couse now flash on nocturnal species is about as taboo as nest photography.
But we had no other choice - and then came digital !!
Cheers John
Heres the proper adjusted version

[Daniel Cadieux]

Yes, looks better!

Must be something digitally processing an image you took on film 40+ years ago, bet you never would have thought that at time of capture

[John Robinson]

Daniel
Your last comment got me thinking quite deeply really. You are right You don't look ahead too much at that age.You tend to think it will all go on for ever- but it doesn't. I am very lucky indeed to have seen all the different stages of nature photography through those years. But sadly a lot of my friends I worked with didn't make it. Not being morbid at all but you made me think a bit.
Thanks
John

[David Salem]

I have been shooting wildlife for while but not nearly as long as you. I got started as a teen in the late 70s. Very commendable that you have been that devoted to avian photography. Very cool.
The shot is great for today, but awesome for the time. Very publishable for the day. I like the pose of the adult with the big worm and the baby begging for it. The nest cavity and the other babies clearly seen is a big plus also. Very nice!

[arash_hazeghi]

very nice, I like the repost, I would further reduce contrast if possible. It's interesting to see how far we have come since the days of film. this was sure a great work for its time.

[Sidharth Kodikal]

Fantastic image John. My favorite from all the ones you've posted thus far and a tough one to beat. While this photo is older than I am, I for one wouldn't have been able to tell.

[Satish Ranadive]

I would say this is great work at that time. This is absolutely superb image. Re post is wonderful.
Looking many more magical and mesmerizing images from your old slide cabinets. Appreciate the hard efforts behind all this.
In 1972,I strated serious bird watching while doing my post graduation but not photography.

Regards,
Satish.

[John Robinson]

Thanks all.
Much appreciated. My old stuff goes down better than the new !!! better get the old slide cabinets out of the garden shed
Thanks again
John

[Marina Scarr]

Wow, John, amazing how well this capture turned out in the RP.