Time for a Snowy Owl

[Melissa Groo]

Canon 1D Mark IV
500mm
Gitzo/Wimberley

ISO 400
1/6000
f/5.0

Took this a few days ago on Amherst Island in Ontario, where I spent a couple days looking for different owls. Only found snowys, but can't complain. I was so ecstatic to be among them. My best encounter was with this juv male, who gave me lots of nice shots. Crept up pretty close, so close I had to take off my 1.4 TC. This is full frame. Wondered if folks thought the comp was ok or too central. I also notice a shadow of a grass across his body--does it detract, and should I try to clone it out?
I liked the sense of the wind (man, that is one windy place), how it's lifting the feathers at his neck, the direct gaze, and the view of the talons.
Some recovery on whites, sharpening, and did a little eye work on his left eye, the inner corner which was in shadow.
Critiques and comments very much appreciated. Thanks for looking!

[Carmelo Cannova]

Beautiful light and pose.

Carmelo

[gail bisson]

WOW Melissa. I am so jealous. I spent 6 entire cold freezing days last February at Amherst Island and only saw a couple of long ears high up in a tree. I came home with nothing...
As to your image- it is lovely. I like the comp as is but would be OK to see you take some from LHS. Light and IQ is excellent and the muted browns and creams colors in the picture are really nice.. The grass doesn't distract but I would try to get rid of it if you were planning on printing it. A keeper for sure... and did I tell you how jealous I am...
Gail

[Nancy Bell]

This is lovely with beautiful light on the owl and terrific colors in the bkgd. The bending grasses and the ruffled feathers add a nice touch of motion. I would move the owl a bit off center to the right plus add just a bit more space under his feet. The owl is so patterned that a small shadow is not really obvious. I'm super envious of your close encounter!

[Andrew Merwin]

Melissa, I think this is a wonderful image. I think you should leave the grass shadow. If you removed it, you would need to remove all the grass shadows & with the sun angle I think the missing shadows would look strange. The visible talons are really neat. Great capture. TFS.

[Cheryl Arena Molennor]

I am jealous too!! I love the habitat and it's soft colors. I could see a little off right side (like to the shadow from the small rock close to the edge.) I'd hesitate to take from the top since I like the whole stem of the grasses showing left side. Love the pose and the light.... Yup I'm jealous

[Melissa Groo]

Thanks so much for the comments, you all. I sure felt lucky to have this moment. I feel your pain, Gail. Seems that island is a real hit or miss situation. I'd been reading/hearing about people seeing many short eared owls hunting in various places starting in mid afternoon, but saw not a one despite looking hard two days in a row. Someone saw a great horned owl perched on a post at one point, I tried to relocate it but couldn't. ANd then traipsed around Owl Woods for a long time looking for an elusive saw whet and long eared owl that 2 Christmas Bird Count folk had found earlier, with no luck. But yes, I finally had my moment.
Here is a repost with some cropped off left. Nancy, didn't add any below yet, may try that if others chime in too, but it might be a bit complicated doing that Add Canvas down there.

[gail bisson]

I like the crop of the OP much better. I love the rocks and woods on the right. Can you try one with a crop off the left?
Gail

[Jonathan Ashton]

I like the re worked image very much indeed. I personally don't think iut needs more canvas but if iyou decide to I would suggest you add just a little using "Content Aware", it will work well if the extra canvas is minimal, if it gets a little too much the content tends to become stretched.

[Melissa Groo]

Ok, here's another with your recommendation, Gail, sorry, didn't read your note closely enough the first time around. Lots of distractions here today...
WDYT?

[Josh Clark]

Great shot of this Snowy Melissa! I have heard of Amherst Island as a good location for Snowies. We are seeing them around here, problem is they are in spots that are not very photogenic. Great job with the whites. Love the environment that you captured with him, the rocks really add an already great image. Congrats!

[Karl Egressy]

I like the original the best, Melissa.
I like the snowless sorroundings for a change.
I know that place. It was good to me in exactly five years ago.

[dankearl]

Wonderful photo (Do all Snowie's pose the same great way?)
I like the OP, it is plenty big enough in the frame and I always like the habitat these guys choose to be in.
Very fortunate on your part to get this.
Congrats.

[gail bisson]

Hi Melissa,
I have changed my mind- I like the OP the best!
Gail

[Gary Esman]

Hey Melissa, great opportunity and you took advantage of it. Shot looks great! Nice eye contact, sharp, exposure looks good and the environment is very nice. super work.

Gary.

[ramesh anantharaman]

Hi Melissa,

I am so jealous of you. I don't get such beauties here in India. I like the crop you have done with Gails recommendations. This fellow seems to be squinted . gives him a kind of a funny look.. love the light here tooo.

[Geir Jensen]

A great picture. I like the original most. , The feeling of the wind, beautiful light. shadows of straw on the bird bothers me not. Well done.

[Stu Bowie]

Hi Melissa, what a great sighting, and I like your OP. Your repost places the snowy too central. Good eye contact, and I like the grasses being blown by the wind.

[Bill Dix]

Melissa, add me to the growing list of envious folks. It's been years since I've even seen one of these beauties. I love the capture with surrounding environment, and I prefer the OP. Very well done. I personally wouldn't remove the small shadow.

[Grace Scalzo]

OP for me too. Wonderful light, full of interest, great sense of habitat. No need to alter even one pixel, imho.

[Robert Holguin]

Wonderful image. Love the soft warm light, excellent pose, and I really like the original post.
Well done.

[arash_hazeghi]

great eye contact and sweet light, it's good that we can see the talons too. I would go for something in between the original and repost, it is nice to see the habitat too.

[RakeshDhareshwar]

Love the OP . Awesome light and great feel to this image !!