Saw Whet Owl

[Paul Kammen]

A friendly saw whet owl from earlier this week in Ida Grove, Iowa.

Z9, 24-70 2.8 at 70mm, f 2.8, ISO 200.

[Jonathan Ashton]

Wow you must have been close, was this taken using flash? Colours and exposure look pretty good but it looks "flashed" to me (??)

[Paul Kammen]

Yes, I did use a flash; it was daylight, and I asked the guide if it was alright and he said not an issue in daylight hours. Should I remove the catchlight in the eyes?

[Dorian Anderson]

Very nice view of this little guy, even if some of the surrounding needles are a bit assertive. I think you did as well as you could have given the narrow window and creeping foliage.

I am interested in ISO 200 as that would require a much stronger flash than, say ISO 1600. Your guide may not think much of using flash, but you should try to minimize the effects
when you can, especially when the bird's eye's are fully dilated like this.

Yes, cloning the catchlights would help, but anyone with a discerning eye will know you flashed this bird given the surroundings. Cloning the catchlights therefore looks like you're
trying to hide your use of flash, perhaps knowing flash isn't good for birds. Probably more thinking than anyone else will give it, but that's me as a hardcore birder.

[Paul Kammen]

Here is one without the flash.

[arash_hazeghi]

nice find and frame, sharp with good details, a bit cluttered and the bright spots in the BG a bit distracting but not much you could have done. does have the "flash" look

good points about flash, in this situation you want to use flash to achieve more even lightning and fill the shadows as opposed to main source of light, higher ISO would drop the flash intensity making it more natural (and probably easier on the Bird too but I am no ornithologist)

TFS