Short-eared Owl

[Dave Leroy]

Slipping by me on the left. I removed a black stump in bg, added canvas left and recomposed so a bit of a crop on the owl.

7D, 500mm, 1/2000, f/5.6, ISO400, manual, tripod.

[Jonathan Ashton]

Very nice indeed Dave, this is the shot I have been waiting for! Fine detail and good control over the highlights, I like the background. Did you brighten the eye? I would be inclined to tone it down just a teeny weeny bit.

[Mital Patel]

Dave i really liked what you have got here. somehow i felt the white's become a lil grey here may be recovery does that if so which you might want to recheck ?

fantastic creamy bg, sharpness is just wow considering the freeze.

[Melissa Groo]

Stunning capture. Agree with Jonathan on toning down the eye just a wee bit, looks faintly unnatural as is. But great image and nice job on adding canvas.

[Bill Dix]

Great flight shot. Really shows the bluntness of their heads, and the brilliance of their eyes. Don't know if you did anything to the eye, but I do know that they can really shine when the light hits them like this. Nice detail in the shadows.

[gail bisson]

Another beautiful owl shot. At first I wasn't sure about the wing position but I have grown to like it! I find the BG a bit distracting and am not sure about the green stuff and black splotch under the body. I would clone them out with that lovely brown. As Bill says. I like teh way the image shows the bluntness of the head,
Gail

[Arthur Morris]

Sharp as can be and great bird. But. The uneven lighting with the shadows are a bit problem for me. And so is the unlucky near-wing position. You might be able to even out the exposure quite a bit using Tom Grey's non-destructive Dodge and Burn on a layer. You did your very best in the field.

[Dave Leroy]

Thanks everyone for the comments and suggestions. As Bill mentioned the eye color is natural. I may have applied a bit too much selective sharpening although it does seem all right on a bit larger file.