Little owl - Landing

[Steve Kaluski]

Today is a break from the last 10 days of awesome shooting with these guys, so first round of editing and mirror back-up, but will have one last crack again tomorrow before heading back.

With the male absent, I am hopping he is on the nest, fingers crossed. The female has been busy foraging, flying back and forth, so to me that is a good sign that the male is indeed, on the nest. Things have changed scenic wise and the meadow has changed since last I was here, in part becoming more 'wild and challenging', but providing an excellent food source. Can't process any new image yet, although a few have seen some of the early results straight from camera, so here is one from the last session a few weeks ago. The background is the hay bales awaiting collection, the talons provide very good traction in this situation.

Steve

Thanks to those who viewed or posted a comment on the previous thread.

Steve

Subject: Little owl (Athene noctua) landing, wings out, on rusty milk churn, late afternoon
Location: UK
Camera: Canon 1DX
Lens: 200-400f/4 (400mm) Gitzo tripod/Uniqball head
Exposure: 1/4000s at f/8 ISO3200
Original format: landscape, slight crop
Subject distance: 9.5m
Processed: LR6 (2015) & PS CC 2014

[keith mitchell]

Hi Steve, with it's eyes open it would have gone up another level ,but I would be well pleased with this and of course some will like the eye closed pose all a matter of taste,the old milk churn adds loads of interest,great piece of work.

Cheers Keith.

[Steve Kaluski]

Cheers Keith, agree eyes open would have been nice, but as you know, things work in a split second, just depends on the frame captured. The old churn is still out there where it had been for some time, just getting more 'rustic' with time, but it may get moved when the bales are removed, but will only be a few feet. Hope the Kestrels are doing well?

Steve

[Karl Egressy]

As mentioned the eyes open would have been better but the nice landing pose compensate for it, Steve.

[Joseph Przybyla]

Lovely image Steve, I agree regarding the eyes being open and also your comment about split seconds. The rusty milk jug shows how small these owls are, nice to have it for prospective. Thank you for sharing.

[Gabriela Plesea]

Hello Steve,

I am very fond of your owls as you know, so my impressions of this image might be rather subjective - but here it goes anyway:

Set aside techs and PP work (all 100% as far as I am concerned), I strongly feel there's a certain impact your subject has on me as a viewer, with its eyes looking down. IMO it would look rather unnatural if the owl looked at you, she is trying to regain balance while barely touching the edge of the urn, and she just has to look down. I like things the way they are and the lack of eye contact makes absolute sense to me. Of course, a sequence of images (3 to 5) would be ideal, LOL - would like to see what this little one looked like once she regained composure and straightened all its feathers!

Love the spread wings and balancing act, subject well exposed and beautifully set against the BG, good SS to capture movement - just wonderful Steve, wish it was mine

Warmest regards,

[Steve Kaluski]

Thanks a lot folks.

Gabriela, you are so eloquent with your words, description and overall emotions in your replies and at times it is rather humbling. Right or wrong I do try to give any of the subjects I shoot, distance. Getting too close can cause issues IMHO and so this is why I stress using long lens that offer respect. In doing so you are not putting pressure on your subject and can often can gain more respect and overall the images you want. These guys will now have a period of time to settle back down and hopefully the results will pay off, fingers crossed.

Have a great weekend.

Cheers
Steve

[keith mitchell]

Steve taking another look the top of that milk churn is perhaps not the best surface to try to make a landing.

[Gabriela Plesea]

Thank you Steve

I think I do a better job of writing a critique on a novel than on a photograph, but my greatest passion is still photography so I try to apply the same thinking to both:)

Aesthetics always come first to me, even though nowadays I am more able to recognise certain qualities (or faults) in an image. Your PP work is superb, Steve - I often don't even go there, since just about everything I have learnt to do well comes from you, from viewing your images, reading your critiques, analysing your RP's, following your subtle hints. When it comes to composition and power of expression I feel I can speak my mind, this is where the "thought-provoking" we've been talking about comes into play, and this is where I try to employ whatever critical skills I have.

Viewing and commenting on a thread on BPN is (to me) often an exercise in critical skills, and I find that ever so often an engaging image does not necessarily meet the usual requirements (POV, eye contact, focus on subject closer to the lens, etc) but simply appeals to me for other reasons. This is when I follow my mind and my heart, obviously the words come out loaded with more emotion:)

I thought long and hard before saying " I like this owl with its eyes looking down"...Still happy about it, in the context it looks right to me and I just know some serious thought was involved before you shared this frame. I think I understand what you were trying to portray and why you liked this, it is all quite subtle but not too complex really - just one little owl spinning on the edge of a barrel and so careful to make that landing perfect

Hope you too have a lovely week-end,

Warmest regards,

[Bill Dix]

Lovely action and comp. The rusty milk churn adds a unique touch.

[Steve Kaluski]

The rusty milk churn adds a unique touch.

Cheers Bill, over the initial, early period of time and shooting opportunities, I quite like the idea of a soft background, the delicate plumage of the subject and the rusty, weathered milk churn. In a future shot to be posted, hopefully it will illustrate the point. perhaps going a bit 'arty' or over thinking I don't know, but for me that image is about 'textures', but who knows, we will see.

[dennis greenwood]

I would have preferred a smaller natural landing perch ,and the eyes open but all in all its a little owl and I adore them....Also I think you will find that the male does not sit on the Eggs as he would need to develop a brood patch like the female and I have monitored the owls in breeding season and I have seen the male accompany(guard)the nest with the female but never sit.

[Ákos Lumnitzer]

HI Steve
It's a really nice natural image and has tons of merit. There is not always the need for eye contact (and shoot me, but I thought this one had its eyes closed) but if s/he is looking down, it makes perfect sense to me too.
Must be great to be able to work with owls in natural light. None of the Aussie ones are active during the day (as a rule) so I'm stuck with night time photography of them or daytime while they are roosting.

I would probably just crop a little tighter from the left and above to move the bird slightly closer to the ULC.

Congrats! Looking forward to more little owls.....

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Akos, the natural light can be very challenging at times, likewise the environment/habitat as this is out there and utilising what they use, but these guys are out during the day so it's helpful, LOL compared to the more nocturnal species we both have.

Yep, cranking up both content and more challenging photography on this subject now, so will post something before heading off to warmer climates again, but then back to more colder climates later on for 'perhaps' one of the most dangerous species on this planet and who I adore.

cheers
Steve