White Faced Scops Owl

[Rachel Hollander]

Taken in Kapama Reserve, South Africa while on a night drive (obviously :D).

Canon 50D
100-400 @ 400mm
1/60
f5.6
ISO 1600
Canon 430ex flash used and ranger held the spot on the owl as well.
Handheld from a safari vehicle, no crop, stray small branch cloned from bottom, NR applied to BG.

I had tried a crop of some off the space above and to the right but the noise on the owl shows up much more.

C&C welcome and appreciated. Thanks,

Rachel

[Harold Davis]

i wouldnt crop the right, but i might take a slither off the top. i love this!! that eye is incredible and the bird's stare pretty powerful. nice job with the flash!! and great job handholding at that slow shutter speed!!!

[Oscar Zangroniz]

Congrats Rachel, excellent capture. For my taste, I'd leave it the way it is.

[Don Hamilton Jr.]

Wow, Rachel this is a keeper! Love the Piercing stare, you nailed this Flash. Excellent in all areas! Great job on the noise as well!
Don

[Lance Peters]

Hi Rachel - like it - a lot!
Did well to get no red eye - very easy with these guys and their large eyes.
Nothing I would change.

Big Congrats :)

[Alfred Forns]

Excellent Rachel Did well with the mixed lighting !!! Normally with flash only sharpness would not be a problem since flash duration is short and freeze action, the spotlight could have given trouble but sure worked out well !!! ... you came up with a winner !!!

[Troy Lim]

Very nice shot, TFS.

[Mark Young]

It's a very beautiful image, and the composition is spot on!

[Rachel Hollander]

All: Thanks for the very kind comments. I'm glad you like the shot.

Thanks again,
Rachel

[Don Railton]

Hi Rachel

Love this heaps... especially the big eye looking into the black..

DON

[Dave Mills]

Hi Rachel, I feel you handled the subject well! The eye is what you can't help zeroing in on.You have the owl looking into a black void and I'm wondering about too much negative space. Seems like you got a good concensus on it though...

[Jamie Douglas]

The big orange eye is great and I like how you have placed the owl in the frame. The eye really draws your attention and I was just about to comment that I would like to have seen the beak but after a google search I am now the wiser :)

Nicely done

Jamie

[Rachel Hollander]

Thanks Don, Dave and Jamie for the kind comments. Jamie - I think you can see the tiniest portion of the beak through the feathers where the head meets the chest in front.

Thanks again,
Rachel

[Meesh Fink]

Awesome shot Rachel! :)

[Rachel Hollander]

Thanks Meesh