The white ghost

[arash_hazeghi]

This is a snowy owl that I photographed late in 2013 with Daniel in Ottawa area.

Attachment 152531

Shot with the 1D-X, EF 400mm f/5.6. ISO 2000. F/7.1 at 1/3200sec. hand held. Owl was attracted by bait. Processed with DPP 4.15 Hope you like it.

[Mervyn Marsh]

great shot dude, love to see this on a big print,those eyes!

[gail bisson]

What's not to like?
Killer body position and eye stare.I feel like you could tease out a bit more detail in the underwing and head feathers.
Gail

[Mike Hitchen]

That is a captivating shot, Arash.

[Bill Dix]

The eyes have it, and a great flight position with look back at you. I assume the blue cast accurately reflects the cold winter ambient light.

[arash_hazeghi]

The eyes have it, and a great flight position with look back at you. I assume the blue cast accurately reflects the cold winter ambient light.

thanks Bill, on my screen I don't see a blue cast...

best

[Bill Dix]

thanks Bill, on my screen I don't see a blue cast...

best

Just as an example, using ColorPic, a spot on the forehead of the owl midway between the eyes shows 212, 219, 229, on my screen.

[arash_hazeghi]

Just as an example, using ColorPic, a spot on the forehead of the owl midway between the eyes shows 212, 219, 229, on my screen.

The reading is correct of course, but let me explain, that doesn't mean there is a color cast:

The RGB values should not be identical because of the reflective nature of light here, in fact they never are for a scene under natural light. If you compare the strength of the channels, the difference in luminosity is only 4% i.e. (229-219)/255. This should not result in blue tint that is visible or distracting. Now if this difference were, say 20% you would see a blue tint that was unnatural.

Please see this article on my blog to learn more about color correction. There is an image of a snowy owl in the article and I basically used the same method explained there to set the WB for this image

http://arihazeghiphotography.com/blo...n-photography/

best

[Bill Dix]

Thanks. I remember reading your article last year, and it was most helpful. You do note that after correction, "the RGB values should be almost equal". But you go on to point out that making a "white" bird pure white (the Elegant Tern in evening light is the example you used in the blog) would not accurately present the scene as viewed in the natural light at the time. That seems to be the case with your owl, and was the point of my question: to confirm that the slight tendency toward the blue channel (certainly "visible" on my screen, but not "distracting") was in fact reflecting the natural light as you saw it. Thanks for taking the time to clarify it.

[arash_hazeghi]

that's right Bill, I should clarify "almost" equal means within 5% in the article. I will edit it soon.

thanks again.

[Ramon Reyes]

Lovely, those eyes are just perfect against the white.

I will be reading the article and hopefully will learn a few things, thank you.

Ramon

[Doug Brown]

Amazing flight pose Arash! A fine image!

[David Salem]

I like this white on white look and I like the others you have posted in the past from this same series with different wing positions. The others have a more defined outline to the owl where this one blends more with the BG.
Not sure if I like is as much as the others but still a keeper in my book all day long. Those eyes are awesome.

[arash_hazeghi]

Thanks everyone, the owl blends in with the snow in the BG giving it an edge when hunting...

[Stu Bowie]

Hi Ari, great flight pose, and love the show of the full wingspread. I really like how the snowy blends into the BG, and of course, those eyes just pop so well. Well captured.

[mohammad reza shahab]

Hi Arash
Great flight pose, Eye contact and Excellent Exposure.

[Ákos Lumnitzer]

Awesome image Arash.
I would prefer a contrasting background. However, I am more than certain you got those too. :D
Killer shot man! And apt title!

[arash_hazeghi]

Thank you all

[shane shacaluga]

Nicely done Arash! Ghost correctly describes this bird. Wouldnt want to be a rodent with this flying about

TFS and thanks for the article