Same Bird, Better BG

[David Roach]

In my earlier post of this same beauty, Judd suggested I get a little higher to eliminate the funky BG at the top and to get the feet. In this one the owl was further down on the berm in front of the burrow and I was a little higher (still no feet:(). Since the sun was just about to set (very low on horizon) and this beauty was back behind the burm, it gave a spotlight effect on the face. I also applied my recent learnings of bigger JPG and better sharpening on JPG files.
1DMKIIN 400DO ISO 400 F6.3@1/2500

[Axel Hildebrandt]

I like the setting, details and eye contact. I agree, it would have been even better with feet but I like it as is and would have stopped down more for wider DOF. Maybe a bit more saturation and/or higher color temperature?

[Ramon M. Casares]

Agree with axel about the DOF, but if you were really close (as it looks like) there's not much you can do about that. I love the BG/enviroment and the pose, I don't mind the hidden feet... IMO a little more saturation could make this one even better! Congratulations!

[David Roach]

Yes, Ramon, I was at the MFD (stopping down further wouldn't have helped much) and I actually like the DOF chosen. I learned from Artie's first book, as long as the eyes are in focus, the image will come alive! I also like how the light and the focus on the face allows your eyes to settle there. I reprocessed from raw and added a couple of points of saturation overall. Did that help? Thanks again for the learnings!!!!

[Tony Whitehead]

BG and eye contact is lovely. Love the flowers on the ground. Only distraction to me is the blurred verticval line just to the left of the bird (?OOF blade of grass). Agree with Axel re a slightly warmer colour temp. Maybe a sliver more space at the top and a sliver off the right side but this is a really lovely picture.

[David Roach]

Reprocessed with Tony's suggestions.

[Axel Hildebrandt]

The second repost looks much better. I agree with Artie regarding DOF in general but since your shutter speed was so high, you could have easily stopped down more.

[Don Lacy]

David really nice spotlight on the face and the eyes pop nicely the second repost is much better.

[David Roach]

Very true Axel. Since I was raised a little more, I was afraid of bringing the ground behind the owl into focus (and thus a distraction). However, as close as I was, it would probably have been fine since getting much more DOF wouldn't occur at that distance. Thanks again!

[Tony Whitehead]

Lovely. Well done, David. That's really lifted it a notch.

[Marko Matesic]

fantastic stuff!!!

[Raymond Barlow]

excellent shot... f8 or higher might have brought the legs in focus.