Northern Saw-whet Owl in the Studio...

[Daniel Cadieux]

...or so it seems! When I first found this little guy it was very photographable, but in some thick stuff just like they are known to hang out in. The mobbing throng of small forest birds (including an aggressive chickadee that actually pecked this guy on the head!!) finally got it to move...so it flew about 20 yards away...onto this wide open branch, and ...no more than six feet offf the ground!!! You can imagine my racing heart as I could not believe my luck!! All I had to do was aligned myself with the best BG. The best part is that the opposite side was just as wide open and nice, so I got some great photos of its backside too. Still thanking my lucky stars....

Canon 7D + 100-400L @320mm, manual exposure, evaluative metering, 1/100s., f/7.1, ISO 800, flash @ -0.7 FEC, handheld (lens braced against the side of a tree), FF.

[adrian dancy]

A devine image. I would not be in favour of removing the branch stubs at the risk of the image looking a bit too clinical ...in this case.

[Gary Esman]

Fantastic! This is a fine example of how hard work pays off. Top notch, very cool.

Gary.

[Kaustubh Deshpande]

Daniel, really like this one. clean, beautiful BG...terrific bokeh to go with the sharp bird.

I am guessing you photographed this at 320mm because that is where the tree was to brace the lens :-)

[Sidharth Kodikal]

Terrific image, Daniel. What an opportunity - and you made the most of it.
Excellent use of flash, perfect comp and gorgeous setting. Superb.

[Doug Brown]

Super image Daniel! I always enjoy the stories that go along with your photos!

[Grace Scalzo]

Superb! Almost a coy pose....wonderful background too. Is the left foot tucked up?

[dankearl]

Great eyes and very nice use of flash (If you hadn't said so, I would never know).
Owls are pretty docile in daytime, a great find on your part.
I think maybe just a tiny bit of contrast would make it pop a bit more.
Otherwise, the perch and BG almost seems too good to be true.
Lucky you!

[Cheryl Arena Molennor]

Daniel I'm so happy for you and glad you could contain your excitment enough to get it all right. This is beautiful and i so wish I had one just like it! I love how the bg pulls those beautiful eyes right off the page.

[Jim Crosswell]

A real beauty Daniel! I like the pose, composition, BG and the eyes.

[Marina Scarr]

I am truly envious of this one, Daniel.

[Ofer Levy]

Beautiful image mate!!! Did you apply some blur on the BG in post ?

[Robert Holguin]

Wow!!! Congrats on getting it out in the open. Terrific image, well composed, and the background is to die for.
Well done.

[Dumay de Boulle]

Very nice, one of your best Great detail and love the colors of the BG. The pose on the owl couldn't be any better!

[Steve Kaluski]

Killer BKG Daniel, great detail, doesn't get any better.

TFS
Steve

[arash_hazeghi]

Excellent portrait and great handling of flash

[Daniel Cadieux]

Thanks a bunch all!!

Beautiful image mate!!! Did you apply some blur on the BG in post ?

Hey Ofer, thanks. Apart from the usual levels and saturation nothing else was done to the image...except I did forget to mention that I removed the flash catchlights (one on each eye) and burned the leftmost top edge of the perch.

[Ofer Levy]

Thanks a bunch all!!



Hey Ofer, thanks. Apart from the usual levels and saturation nothing else was done to the image...except I did forget to mention that I removed the flash catchlights (one on each eye) and burned the leftmost top edge of the perch.

Excellent work mate!

[Karl Egressy]

This is awesome, Daniel.
This is one of the best pictures of this owl species I have ever seen, which happens to be my No. 1 favorit bird of all the birds.
I wish I were there with you.

[Randy Stout]

Daniel:

Darling little fellow, so sweet looking, with subtle flash (just the way I like it).

I could see a version with a sliver more contrast, but his plumage is so soft looking, the slightly subdued contrast fits the bird.

Good field craft comes through again for you.

Cheers

Randy

[Rick Dobson]

WOW! Congrats Daniel on a fantastic image and on having the good fortune. Could not happen to a nicer guy.

[Raymond Lee]

Congrats...especially shooting in such tough lighting (1/100s and the use of flash)! Wished that shot was mine! The shot is perfect in every way: the head position, perch, background, exposure, and background.

[Stu Bowie]

Simply superb and PERFECTO !!!! Dan, everything works in this, and its great when you pull off an image like this. Congrats.

[Don Leslie]

Simply put, OUTSTANDING, Everything works in this shot, one of the best i've ever seen!! congrats.

[Daniel Cadieux]

Thank you very much everyone!!

Grace, yes indeed its' other leg was tucked in.

[Mark Itol]

Simply gorgeous, Daniel. Two thumbs up! Initially thought NR was applied on the BG until I read your reply to Ofer.

[Raul Padilla]

fantastic in every aspect, i wish see a close up of the face for use in my desktop