Got this little speed demon last winter using MkIII and Canon 400 5.6 on the bushhawk at f8 1/2000.
This year I will have to up my shutter speed to 2500 to get the wings to freeze.
Thanks for looking :)
Bill
Northern Hawk Owl Blastoff
Got this little speed demon last winter using MkIII and Canon 400 5.6 on the bushhawk at f8 1/2000.
This year I will have to up my shutter speed to 2500 to get the wings to freeze.
Thanks for looking :)
Bill
Last edited by Bill Sharkey; 10-07-2009 at 03:15 PM.
Aah, what an image.....excellent shot
Really great action image Bill. Don't mind the blurred wings at all. Provides a much needed sense of motion. My only question is whether this was baited or not. :)
Bill, I like it with the blurred wing tips as well. Great action captured here, it is well exposed and sharp where it counts....would love to have this in my files as well. Worth getting up at 4:00AM for. Congratulations.
Bill, Excellent blastoff! I like the sharp details and the blurred wings add to the sense of motion.Very well done.The snow is a nice touch.
I don't mind the slight wing-blue either...besides, the splashing snow is nicely "frozen" :-) I'm also wondering baited or not...most of these "snow explosion" owl images were created by the owl snapping up mice (sorry if that is not the case here...)
Good eye contact and plenty sharp. Nice catch in the moment.
Great image . I definitely like the blurred wings it gives the movement effect. Really good timing and sharpness. Well done.
Great action! Love the snow underneath the owl and the yellow eyes.
Babe in the woods here, so maybe somebody can please explain: Why does it matter whether the bird was "baited" or not?
All I see is a wonderful action shot of a bird. I don't see any tacit certification by the photographer that the circumstances were this or that or the other.
I don't know whether a mouse was supplied as bait. Frankly, the question never entered my mind. And very frankly, I don't care one way or the other.
I just see this nice bird in action and am enjoying it. So why the questions about "baiting"?
Is there some ethical code that binds bird photographers to certain rules of conduct? Is it assumed that in photographing a bird, the photographer is
certifying that the circumstances were this or that or the other? If so, where did the Board of Ethics acquire its authority to set the standards?
Or (dark thought) is this an assumption of an ethical obligation that some viewers are adding to the mix?
I'm not a photographer, let alone a bird photographer. I'm just askin'. :confused::confused:
Hi David,
I appreciate your concerns and you bringing them up.
As an educational forum we encourage disclosure in such methods used for taking an image. This also goes for using audio, and other "luring" methods (feeders, bird drips, etc...). When newcomers come here and look at these incredible images (which this one is) there comes a high expectation and eagerness of success without realizing that these types of images are not necessarily "chance" opportunities. One shouldn't expect to walk up to a raptor expecting instant flight images time after time - especially these types where the birds are at eye level, perfectly aligned with sun angle, and bursting with flying snow. This does not lower my opinion of the image if bait was used, nor should it for anyone else - it still takes skill to properly setup for the image and to be succesful in capturing the moment. However, indicating that a bird was baited should be necessary info for educational purposes.
Again my apologies to Bill if this was in fact taken "au naturel"...
Last edited by Daniel Cadieux; 10-07-2009 at 07:27 PM.
Nicely done on exposure and focusing on the "speed demon". I could go either way regarding freezing the action here or some motion blur.
I don't care if it was baited or captured by pure chance.....I just want to see the mouse.
Daniel, I will not disclose my complete methods as I would be negligent in doing so.
Getting close to animals takes much practice, knowledge and dedication for the safety and comfort of the subject. In order to capture the focused attention of the bird (ie. as opposed to a pic of him/her scared to death), certain things are necessary to get close to the bird. We have found that some methods, in the wrong hands, have let to abuse to two birds in the past. So a little information, to an untrained individual, has proven to lead to abuse. We won't make that mistake again, seriously!
Bill
Last edited by Bill Sharkey; 10-07-2009 at 08:37 PM.
Ahhh. OK. I get it.
This is super shot Bill , Stunningly beautiful image with everything spot on
I agree with your thoughtsOriginally Posted by Bill Sharkey
TFS
I love the action and sharpness. I am curious about the baiting question, but either way it's great.
Well timed for the "blast off", showing the trailing snow. Great headon capture, showing intensity from the eyes, and good to see the shadow against the snow. Well captured Bill.
Great shot Bill. I too would like to know if this was baited or not, but that is your call. As to the image, very crisp. I think I see some halo's on the upper portion of the wings and back of the Owl. That or a white line of feathers as I am not familiar with this species of Owl. Thanks for sharing the image.
I love this one. The ice spray, feather detail, angle of flight and eye contact make it increadably attractive.
Thanks everyone for the great comments. :)
Jason, there may be something there, I used little sharpening and no NR on this image.
To others, all I can say is that the best way to get better shots is to spend time with the subject, let them get to know you, and you them.
Thanks again :)
Bill
This is really really outstanding. Love the action. and dont really mind if the bird was baited or not.
This is a wonderful shot Bill everything about it is awesome,,, I don't care if it was baited or not, however that being said this forum does ask for disclosure and I think that's why Dan was asking. It would be a rare event indeed if you were to capture this moment in a non baited environment, rare yes impossible no, your evasive answer leads me to believe it was baited and at the end of the day Bill it's still a stunning image.
Just add my "WOW" this this, great shot...
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