Barred Owl

[David Salem]

Here's a frame from my trip to Florida last spring. Doug Brown and I met our good friend Jim Neiger on his pontoon boat for a few days of shooting Osprey and Barred owls on Lake Blue Cypress in between his busy workshop schedule.
It was a great trip shooting hundreds of Osprey and it was the first time I had ever seen a Barred owl. Also it was the first time I had seen a recorded audio call work so well!!
Thanks again Jim for a great trip!! (BFAM)
I kept the smaller catch light in the eye, for some reason I like it in this frame. Not sure??

1DX---840mm---f6.3---ss1/3200---ISO800---HH from boat @9:10am---35% crop


Thanks as always for looking and for your input. I appreciate it.

David

[Binu John]

Killer shot, David! Excellent pose, exposure, details and BG. One of the best frames of this species I've seen. I would clone out the smaller catch light in the eyes.

[Frank Schauf]

Nice in flight pose, great eyes, David.

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi David, the head on flight is superb, love it, would be over the move to get something like this. Just a thought and providing you have enough all round image content, but a small CCW rotation may help?

BTW, check your settings for Saving for Web, the image isn't carrying an embedded colour profile, it's probably an unchecked box, especially if you have just updated things.

TFS
Steve

[shane shacaluga]

Wonderful incoming flight shot. The sharpness around the face and eyes is spot on. I am liking the BG a lot on this one as well

I wasnt too sure about the double catch lights on the eyes but I think they give them a more 3d/realistic look

Thanks for sharing

[John Robinson]

Wonderful shot David - and what a killer background ! Wish all mine were like that. Don't know about profiles but looks fine on my gear and of course I won't see it on anyone elses . Would love to try some flight stuff but never seem to find anything flying !!!
John

[Richard Flack]

Shucks David, that is one awesome incoming owl image. The BG is both unusual and appealing and I really like the intensity in the eyes. Well done man! I would love this in my collection!

[Joseph Przybyla]

Lovely image David. Thank you for sharing.

[David Salem]

Thanks everyone for the comments.
John, I figured you'd like that background:)
A fewdifferent thoughts on the catch lights but I kind of thought it gave it a neat 3d effect like Shane did too.

[Sanjeev Aurangabadkar]

One of the best BIF images of Barred owl I have seen David, awesome pose, eye contact and BG. TFS.

[Stu Bowie]

Hi David, great head on capture, and love the eye contact here. Your comp works well with both wing tips in the upper corners, and I like the dappled light in the BG. If this were mine, I would remove the smaller catchlights - just a personal thing. You just keep turning them out.

[William Dickson]

Wow, that head, it is perfectly sharp, it appears the owl is flying from the laptop out towards me . Love the wing positions and the comp. Great work. and, thanks for sharing this lovely image

[gail bisson]

A terrific shot Dave! I have done a workshop with
Jim (it was the first workshop I ever did back in 2011!) and remember how amazed I was at the way the barred owls responded to a call. Again, it was my first time seeing a call being used.
Love the IQ of the image and that direct head on view,
Gail

[David Salem]

Thanks again everyone. I appreciate the comments.

Gail, Yes I couldn't believe it either! They flew straight at us with a few passes right over our heads!! Pretty cool.

[Satish Ranadive]

Absolutely superb and spectacular incoming pose you have captured here.
Great....

Regards,
Satish.

[Vanessa caccamise]

Wow..nice shot!

[Sidharth Kodikal]

Great incoming pose. A tough shot for sure, but you nailed it Dave. Nice mottled BG too. Congrats!

[David Salem]

Thanks everyone.