Saved By Cell Phone!

[Arthur Morris]

Headed out to Jones Beach West End on Saturday morning. The roads were just short of teacherous, but who could avoid the lure of a Snowy Owl in the snow? It was cold and windy with a bit of fog. I headed east towards the locations where as many as three of the owls had been seen on previous days. I had walked well more than a mile when my cell phone rang. It was Grace Scazo. The owl was in the western section of the parking lot but it flew and we have it now just west of the swale. Hurry.

So I did. Thanks yet again Grace!

This image was created with the Canon 800mmmm f/5.6 L IS lens, the 1.4X II TC, and the EOS-1D MIII. ISO 800. Evaluative metering +2 stops: 1/400 sec. at f/8.

Don't be shy; all comments welcome.

[John Chardine]

I like the compositional balance here Artie- the bird and the habitat are given almost equal treatment. The habitat "lines" across the image add a lot of interest and I like how the whites are pushed on the bird's head but not over the top. I guess you might have gone for a clean line at the top if available (i.e., not cut off the grass tops)?

[Manos Papadomanolakis]

Agree with John for the composition is really great,
nice pose and eye contact too!

[David Hemmings]

Even though we have snowies up here, I am jealous of all of these beautiful habitat shots you folks are getting. This image is no exception. I love the grasses and the composition. The wintery feel is great. Would like a shot at that 800 too:)
If you have time Artie, drop me a line with your thoughts on the 800.

[Axel Hildebrandt]

I like this a lot, great exposure control, details but the composition and setting put it over the top for me.

[Arthur Morris]

Even though we have snowies up here, I am jealous of all of these beautiful habitat shots you folks are getting. This image is no exception. I love the grasses and the composition. The wintery feel is great. Would like a shot at that 800 too:)
If you have time Artie, drop me a line with your thoughts on the 800.

Hi David, I have written a bunch about the 800 in the last few Notes and Bulletins. Below is an e-mail that I have been trying to send to James Coda but it keeps getting kicked back to me. (If anyone knows him, do let him know. Thanks.)

At some point I will be doing a comperhensive review but I doubt that it will be till early next year. Simple advice: buy one! I did.

Artie

I look forward to reading your review on the new 800mm lens.

Will get to that ASAP.

I am giving some thought to gettting one.

I loved the one that I borrowed so much that I ordered one immediately.

What I'm particularly interested in reading is your opinion on image quality using the 800mm with 1.4 tele-extender versus the 600mm with a 2X tele-extender.
My opinion is that it is far superior. And forgetting about that, all images made with a 2X will be les sharp than images made with a 1.4X and all images made with a 1.4X will be less sharp than images made with the prime lens alone (all things being equal). In addition, the 800 uses far superior lens coatings.

I will be selling my 600 soon and never using it again. I am keeping one of my 500s.

[Tony Whitehead]

Very cool image :D. Wondering how a version would look without the grass on the right as the remaining grass would give a nice curving diagonal and the crop would make the owl larger in the frame.

[Arthur Morris]

Very cool image :D. Wondering how a version would look without the grass on the right as the remaining grass would give a nice curving diagonal and the crop would make the owl larger in the frame.

If I took three steps closer and centered the bird I am thinking that it would look a lot like the image in this pane. Seriously, when I have a super situation I try to create lots of different COMPs. Made some VERTs and some HORZs without the TC.

[Joe Senzatimore]

Love the original Artie. Comp. and exposure are right on. The habitat included puts it over the top. Nice to see you, even for the short time.

[Bob Malbon]

Art, I was seeing that same crop Tony suggested but now that it is up I do like the original best. Enjoy the frozen North! Bob

[Mike Lentz]

Very nice! I think what I like most is that he/she is in the snow vs on a sandy beach... this looks far more natural and appealing to me.

[LouBuonomo]

She is sweet Artie. I like her in the center of the frame she looked great that way in the field. It was nice seeing you again. Hope your hands warmed up fast.

Cheers,
Lou

[Ed Prete]

excellent opportunity that you've capitalized on there.

I like the first one more, but I'd like to see the first capture, but a square crop without the background grass. would make a nice print I think.

[Raymond Barlow]

I really like the first comp Artie, maybe a bit bright for my eyes, but that may be the way it was out there.

[bill kominsky]

No nits from me here Artie, congrats on a wonderful and well deserved image. Shot there many times when I lived there but certainly do not miss the cold and the snow
Great job.

Bill

[Matthew Studebaker]

Fantastic composition. The grasses behind the owl really put this over the top.

[Malcolm Benn]

Love both of the shots, the framing really sets it of.