Always look up!!!

[Steve Kaluski]

Over the last few months I've been thinking how/where can I push myself and to 'push that envelop?'

So in the last week with these guys I moved further away and used smaller lens, plus as the two juveniles were growing up at a rate of knots, I felt that it was fair if I used some simple food in return for their cooperation, so yes, just to clarify, this is BAITED! Both parents and juveniles have become very accustomed to the shutter and rarely take notice, so another reason to try something new. Any signs of stress etc and I would have stopped, no question!

Shot on a very unpredictable afternoon, the sky had that impending rain front with dark clouds and opposite that bright sunlight, if you know what I mean, hence one of the additional bolt-ons. remotely shot 40m away, but all good experience and worth IMHO, a punt. The arching branches are the Willow tree they reside in and their favourite bale too. Remember, I'm second guessing on a lot of this, especially direction & position in frame.


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

Steve

Subject: Little owlet (Athene noctua) coming in, wide angle
Location: UK
Camera: Canon 1DX
Lens: 16-35mmf/2.8 MKII Pod/Uniqball head
Exposure: 1/3200s at f/9 ISO2000
Additions: Lee ND 0.6 filter, LC-5 Controller, WFT-E6 Transmitter, Macbook pro, can't be certain on the complete configuration, just the main elements
Original format: Landscape, cropped for presentation
Processed: LRCC 2015 & PSCC 2015

[gail bisson]

I quite like this.
Great POV and I like the funky lighting.
The upward gaze of the eyes remind me of a few Princess Di pictures!
Do you have a sliver more room for the barn on the RHS? I really like the barn in the BG but I am not crazy about the bale of hay. I like it for natural history value but as a aesthetic value I would prefer it to be gone.
Really like the grey skies. Excellent IQ and detail on the owl.
Only other suggestion might be to clone out the little blade of grass poking in from LHS of the frame but that is really getting nitpicky.
All in all a really neat image. Well done,
Gail

[Joseph Przybyla]

I love it, think it is one of your best. The owl swooping in, the hay bail, shed and environment background. I wish it were mine. Thank you for sharing, Steve.

P.S. I think the threatening sky sets a mood for the image and adds to the interest.

[keith mitchell]

Like what you have done with this Steve, clever piece of photography that as worked very well for you, it's often easier to stick with what you know so I applaud you for doing this, agree with Joe that sky is icing on the cake.

Keith.

[Gerald Kelberg]

Hi Steve,
Certainly pushed the envelope in an interesting direction! Great result!
Getting the owl so nicely placed in the frame, with such a great incoming pose and perfectly sharp, from a remote, is no mean feat!
Very well done - looks fantastic.

Regards, Gerald

[Satish Ranadive]

Wonderful image in beautiful natural environmental.
Spectacular flight pose.
Rest has been mentioned above.


Regards,
Satish.

[Michael Hansen]

Really nice, Steve. Really, really nice! It looks like something out of a movie lol. Thanks for sharing!

[Geoffrey Montagu]

Extremely well done, Steve. Lot been said above........ Wonderful to see how your hard work paid off. I agree with Gail, if you might have a bit more on the right giving the barn a little more breathing room. Love the extended wings and concentration in those eyes.



Geoffrey

[Gabriela Plesea]

Hello Steve:)

I am afraid my "obsession" with that little book on these owls is still there, LOL. Since you did capture so much interesting behaviour from them...Every time you share an image of those little guys I am amazed how much character they possess and how beautiful they are, I admit I am quite smitten with them and somehow addicted to these owl shots...do keep them coming, please:)

I love this - what mood and atmosphere! Some heavy skies, a little dwelling in the background, a tiny character looking almost "mean" in his descent (but oh-so-cute at the same time). I can find very few adequate words for this scene, all I can say is I love the sparse light, the sense of danger for whatever lies down there among the tall grasses, this super-hunter despite its minute size...So effective. If it were mine I would have called it "Thunder" - don't ask me why, something to do with the pending storm and the subject plunging towards the ground at great speed:)

I instantly found this frame extremely exciting - just as fast as I would find sugar to be sweet, if you know what I mean:) And as I keep opening the many thumbnails on BPN to look for something that grabs me, it is images like this that in some ways influence my approach to photography. So thank you Steve - a most enjoyable find tonight, and what a pleasure to view

Warmest regards,

[Stu Bowie]

Hi Steve, a dramatic flight pose, and very well done having captured the Owl 'in the open' between the leaves of the tree and the distant barn. I do like those stormy skies, and is that bale one of the perches they use, and which you have captured them on previously.

[Mike Poole]

I love close up wide angle shots, comes from shooting too much underwater!

This is a beautiful example with a great pose. Personally I'd have liked it without the hay bale, as the barn and the trees frame the owl perfectly, but otherwise it's a great shot

Mike

[Bill Dix]

A very appealing image, and amazing that you could get him so sharp with remote. Great flight position, nice grey sky. Would have been even more spectacular with the bird against the sky without the hay bale.

[David Salem]

I can't stop looking at this frame Steve. I love it. The whole scene looks fantastic with the razor-sharp owl coming in and the slightly out of focus farm scene in the background. I don't mind the haybale at all as it adds to the whole country feel.
That dark sky, the hanging tree and the green grasses below make for one of your best offerings in quite sometime. This is a real unique Image and would probably do well in a contest. I promote you to submit it to the BBC. Great work Steve

[Michael Hansen]

I can't stop looking at this frame Steve. I love it. The whole seeing looks fantastic with the razor-sharp owl coming in and the slightly out of focus Farm scene in the background. I don't mind the Haybale at all as it adds to the whole Country feel.
That dark sky, the hanging tree and the green grasses below make for one of your best offerings in quite sometime. This is a real unique Image and would probably do well in a contest. I promote you to submit it to the BBC. Great work Steve

I've already shared my thoughts on the photo, so I'll be brief. I didn't comment on the bale of hay in my original post, so I wanted to say that I agree with David on this one: The bale of hay definitely adds something good to the image. But take that with a grain of salt, as I am new to this and am *definitely* a minimalist (by choice) when it comes to Photoshop, etc.


Best,
Mike

[Daniel Cadieux]

I've got nothing add here except that I am glad I clicked on the thumbnail...!!! I notice what appears to be muted colours (more here than on your previous ones), is that a deliberate decision on your party for "mood" effect?. I like it, just being curious...

[William Dickson]

All been said Steve. One of your best bird photographs yet.

Thanks for sharing

Will

[Randy Stout]

Steve:

I applaud your search for new approaches, hard to force oneself out of routines sometimes. Lots to like here, the flare, sense of impending doom strengthened by the dark clouds, framing from the tree and barn.

I agree the bale adds a sense of place, but from a pure compositional standpoint, I would prefer it without, the owl would jump out even more from the dark skies.

The backlighting on the primaries in front of the bale do help separate the two similar tones.

Keep working it!

Cheers

Randy

[Gianluca Molina]

Superb image!

[adrian dancy]

I love the image!!!
Have you selectively brightened the bird's face and body and de-saturated any colours?
I think you have an image which can be easily exploited commercially in my view:)It's a cut above:)