Powerful Owl

[Paul Randall]

Taken in Warrendyte State Park in southern Australia. This is Australias largest owl species standing 60-65 cms tall.
Quite hard to find them on an uncluttered perch as they are normally hidden in dense foliage (and often with the previous nights kill in their talons).
Bit of a tight crop but there were distracting elements around this bird which could not be photoshopped out.
Hope you enjoy.:)

Canon 30D 400mm f5.6 L iso 400 1/100 5.6 -1 1/3 exp. comp, lens wedged in between tree fork for stability:cool:

[Harshad Barve]

beautiful image with great eye contact ,expo
If mine I may give little room all around and another round of sharpening
TFS

[Paul Randall]

Thanks Harshad. I would love to add some canvas around the image but I think its too big a job.
It seems to work alright as a long skinny crop as the subject is also this way.

[Ákos Lumnitzer]

Paul
This is wicked mate. I long for the day I find a PO in a clean and eye level situation. A gentleman I know has been known to build hides 20+ meters in the trees to photograph them at the nest. I believe the crop works well here and I love seeing our own owls for a change. :) Congrats mate! Did you use flash? I can see a tiny white speck in both eyes and I can only deduce the use of flash.

[Stu Bowie]

Great sighting Paul, and I like the eye contact. I would maybe lighten his right eye, and run another round of sharpening on him.

[Paul Randall]

Thanks for the comments. No use of flash here (lucky I had the fork in the tree to use to steady myself or flash would have been necessary).

Sorry Stuart, did you mean the left eye coz I have thought about lightening it, but the right eye seems ok to me.
Agree about a bit more sharpening but was trying not to go too far.

[Robert Empleton]

G'day Paul,

Very nice image of the Powerful Owl. I live not far from Warrandyte State park and had a PO in my garden back in April. It stayed all day sitting in my gumtree with it's prey. Luckily in about the only clear spot.

Regards,

Rob