Burrowing owl chick and parent

[Mike Poole]

On my recent Florida trip I took 1 full day away from the family purely to shoot. And there was a massive thunderstorm and grey skye all day at Desoto!

I had liaised with Marina about locations and suggested Cape Coral, but she said it was along drive considering my time span, so I put the idea at the back of my head until I realised I wasn't going to get much at Desoto. Result was a 5 hour round car journey for 1/2 hour shooting - and I loved it!

No time to get all fancy, but when this young chick jumped on the marker post next to the adult I liked the way they posed. I was about to move to try and get a clean green BG and both owls in focus, but the adult wasn't keen on sharing the perch and jumped off before I got chance to re-position.

Canon 5d3
500mm f4is
ISO 800
1/1000th f7.1
cropped from horizontal, this is all the frame on the vertical

Mike

[keith mitchell]

Mike never mind the bits your not so happy with I would be pleased with what you achieved ,the oof one as a great stare and a great calling pose on the other one, great dedication and perseverance with your half hour,very well done.

Keith.

[Joseph Przybyla]

Lovely image Mike. I am so pleased in your short time there you found these little owls to photograph. Thank you for sharing.

[Mike Hitchen]

What a great pairing, Mike and the DOF is perfect to maintain the attention on the first owl but retain a good amount of detail in the second. If tha twas the only shot I got from a day's outing I would be well chuffed.

[Jonathan Ashton]

A very entertaining shot Mike, I like it!

[dennis greenwood]

A great example Mike of being out their and going for it ,definitely one that would be in my portfolio of owl shots ,capturing the characteristic side of them is something a aim for and what you have got here ,love it top shot

[Daniel Cadieux]

Sounds like a long day but well worth it...that's dedication! I love the oof adult in the back and how it is giving the young one a stern look - to me it is what makes the image. I suppose a better perch would have been ideal, but that is what is available to them at these spots. Looks like there may have been something between you and the owl's feet...for that reason I'd be tempted to darken the blacks in that area.

[Robert Kimbrell]

Hey Mike, Glad you found something in Cape Coral. The Owls look great. Hard to present a second out of focus bird , but you pulled it off well. Love the face on the adult.

[christopher galeski]

nice capture,like the calling pose,not a fan of an image with a bird in focus and one out,but I like this it works.TFS.

[Bill Nuttall]

wonderful expressions

[Ákos Lumnitzer]

I am thinking whether you would have been able to crouch lower and try to make the BG all green. The bright lower part is not so nice, but the green bit rocks. Glad you got this cool image though. Lovely shot of an owl I once hope to see in the wild myself. The OOF bird is fine, that's what the optics do.

[Gabriela Plesea]

Mike - this is way too cute for me to worry about the techs I simply adore these little guys...this image reminds me of Steve Kaluski's owl images, by the way...I think he'll smile from ear to ear when he'll see this:)

So much expression and body language here - very well seen and captured, love the two together, the loose feather, the calling pose, the not-so-happy pose, the "moment".

You can do more with this image, if it was mine I would crop a tiny bit from the bottom and then clone out the shiny bit in front of the nail (perch). Not ideal situation, I agree - still a keeper in my books, love this, enjoyed viewing, very much:)

Kind regards,