First in at the trough

[Steve Kaluski]

When the parents came back with food, it was whoever was first in line got fed, so the rivalry was intense between the two offspring last year. So you also needed to be quick on the draw to nail the action at times, however, on reflection I think a landscape format might have been the better option.

I have to say, over the years the 1DX's is just such a joy to shoot with, especially with the ISO and so I have no hesitation at 6400 or more to get that SS required, however it will be interesting to see with the release of the new Nikon D5 whether Canon will release the 1DX MKII for the Olympics and that I really would like to have .

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

Steve

Subject: Little owlet (Athene noctua) running to be fed
Location: UK
Camera: Canon 1DX
Lens: 200-400f/4 HH
Exposure: 1/2000s at f/5.6 ISO6400
Original format: Portrait, cropped form the top, FF on with.
Subject distance: 7.5m
Processed via: LRCC (2015) & PSCC 2015

Note: The subject is fully wild and completely unconstrained. Besides the potential impact of my presence, nothing has been done to intentionally alter or affect the ongoing behavior of the subject and, of course, there has been no use of any form of bait or other form of wildlife attractants (including vocalisations) in the capture of this image.

[Jonathan Ashton]

Steve I like the image perhaps looks a little cold, I get these colours with ACR but not usually quite as cold in DPP, nothing wrong as such but the colours are always a little different in DPP. Image quality/detail is excellent.
Background no noise at all, being picky maybe some straw is a little bright??
Regards new 1DX I don't see an awful lot wrong with the current one Canon aren't happy unless you are continually dipping into that pocket.
Technology advances prices increase and we all ultimately rise to the bait! (including me!)

[Steve Kaluski]

Thanks Jon, yep a bit cooler, again that's the direction I wanted as the location rarely gets that 'golden hour'. I probably wouldn't 'darken' the straw, but address it within the HSL module.

Re advances in prices, albeit a tad off topic, I think they would keep it within or around the original price of the 1DX based on the D5 price. Canon do steel the thunder on the AF, but I'm curious to see this mighty ISO and 153 point AF.

[D. Robert Franz]

Are these owl similar to the burrowing owl over here in the states? Lovely BG, FG not so much. Nice detail on the chick. Very intense stare from the bird. Landscape would work well here also I think!

[Steve Kaluski]

Cheers Dale, yep I think they are, as they have very similar traits, but don't live in burrows in the ground, more in trees, old buildings etc.

[Rachel Hollander]

Hi Steve - Lovely detail as usual and the intense stare is great as others mentioned. I too think landscape might have been preferable here with a bit more room to move into.

TFS,
Rachel

[William Dickson]

The colour of the straw looks great against that BG. Details and pose on the bird are really nice as usual. Maybe a little of the bottom.

TFS

Will

[Jim Crosswell]

I like the details, sharpness and determined look. I would take some off the bottom as well. Nice image Steve.

[Joseph Przybyla]

What a cutie, as always nice work. I noticed your Little Owls are more grey, the Florida Burrowing Owls are more brown. Thank you for sharing, Steve.

[Loi Nguyen]

Steve, perfect sharpness and DOF. F5.6 seemed like a perfect aperture here, enough DOF, but the BG is blur. Agree with you that horizontal format would have been better. Excellent details at ISO-6400. Did you expose to the right and pull it back in post? TFS. Loi

[Steve Kaluski]

Thanks folks, yes with my own hindsight it would have been better to go landscape, but I was expecting this one to do something else, but... I'm OK about the depth of straw otherwise things will get too close to the foot and I feel it needs some 'weight' at the base.

Hi Loi, yep, as I rarely need to tweak the Exposure and when I do it's only a fraction, but ultimately it's in my favour, so there is little chance of introducing more noise back into play. Also having more 'data' creates for a better file/image, but as you know, in doing so it may have a knock on effect in relation to exposure settings which you then need to address, that is the beauty of having no fear of high ISO's. You can see other images of this subject with low SS, you know the original RAW is not going to be great and IQ just goes out the door and with any cropping it just magnify's the issues.

[keith mitchell]

This one as certainly got his eyes on something,Iq excellent as always and not a hint of noise.

Keith.

[Stu Bowie]

Hi Steve, love the intense stare with the raised foot, and good DOF. The image is very clean for that high ISO. Great work.

[Steve Kaluski]

Cheers Stu, I'm not going to let a capture escape for lack of SS, just love this body.
Good to have you back, I know you had a great time, hope Axel is good, did he go with you? Hope to see some images from the trip, when you have time Bud.

[Stu Bowie]

Good to have you back, I know you had a great time, hope Axel is good, did he go with you? Hope to see some images from the trip, when you have time Bud.

Thanks Steve. Both Banjo and Axel were over the moon to see us back. I have a lot of images to go through, but hopefully I will have one up by tomorrow. Start at the beginning of our trip and work through them.