Eyes @ F2

[Callie de Wet]

Found this guy sitting next to the road in the shade of an acacia, . this is a FF square crop across the vertical.
Spotted Eagle-Owl, Bubo africanus, Kingdom: Animalia (Animals), Phylum: Chordata (Vertebrates), Class: Aves (Birds), Order: Strigiformes (Owllike Birds), "Family: Strigidae (Typical Owls)", Gevlekte Ooruil, Fleckenuhu, Berguhu, Bufo-malhado, Grand-duc africain, Afrikaanse Oehoe, Spotted Eagle Owl.
D300; 200-400 F4, Iso 800, F8, 1/400; 0 EV; AP; Matrix; 15hh24
Cloned some bright highlights out in the BG, selectively sharpened the eyes and bill, left the reflection of our car in the eyes.

[David Thomasson]

Wow, very nice. Great details in the face (including the car reflection :p), and most of all those huge golden eyes! I would definitely
do some masking on the original and bring that face out of the shadows. Nice job!

[Callie de Wet]

Thanks David, I appreciate. To confess, I darkened it, because I like darker photographs. My original looks a lot like your reworked one. I have no clue how masks work could never understand the books explaining it!:confused:

[David Thomasson]

Thanks David, I appreciate. To confess, I darkened it, because I like darker photographs. My original looks a lot like your reworked one.

That sounds fair enough. ;)

[arash_hazeghi]

This is a very nice portrait, like the intense eyes. The original is a bit dark the repost with level adjustment is a big improvement. I can see your SUV in the owl's eyes :D

[Ákos Lumnitzer]

Hi Callie,
I can see why you'd like this dark. The way Dave retouched it addressed the other issue I could see, the bright ULC. Either way, if you could darken that to be more aligned to the tonality of the rest of the image, then even darker (the way you like) would be good. :) Love the reflection of the car. :D

[Stu Bowie]

Hey Callie, i dont have single owl image, and you have one in your face. Great reflection of your car in the eyes. Regarding the two versions, I like David's lighter owl, but would darken the BG a tad more.