Snowy owl head-on flight

[arash_hazeghi]

This is one of the few flight images remaining on my CF card. I hope you like it



1D4 700mm f/5.6 1/1600sec ISO 1000.

See larger size here

[Mital Patel]

Mighty fine image bro. this is the one owl i wish to see one day for sure . love the cuteness of this chap all the way.

Excellent incoming pose superb sharp features and that creamy tone bg is just awesome.

[Jonathan Ashton]

Hey it's the first time I 've seen a cross eyed owl, good focus and I like the surroundings as well as the wing position.

[Stu Bowie]

Hi Ari, your larger size rocks. Super incoming pose with both wings down, and I like the exposure on the snowy. Overall, sharp, and I like the softer colours of the grasses and BG. Interesting position of the pupils.

[Sachin Saraf]

Arash, really liked the larger version of this one...Excellent details and focus...Love those dead grass straws below and also you did great in keeping the bird in between two OOF bigger trees in BG.....Great Work.

[arash_hazeghi]

Hey it's the first time I 've seen a cross eyed owl, good focus and I like the surroundings as well as the wing position.

Jon, the owl is not cross eyed. the facial plumage has covered parts of eye. This is the same owl you see in Doug Brown's photo.

[Dumay de Boulle]

Great head on shot, the eyes really pop and the overall colors are great...Love the grass in the FG...Nicely done mate!

[Kiran Poonacha]

Love it brother, great setting here...

[gail bisson]

arash,
The grasses in the FG take this picture over the top. Absolutely wonderful and awesome IQ. I know you have absolutely no control over the eyes but it does detract a bit from the image. Show us more!!
Gail

[Karl Egressy]

Excellent incoming show with nice habitat showing, Arash.

[Michael Liskay]

That is a definite head-on capture! Nice work! Bet you are glad you are not a lemming!

Your image reinforces my impression that these owls are naturally cross-eyed. Must do my homework and find out why.

Mike

[Don Nelson]

Great flight shot. Good you didn't lose all of your hard work.

I might consider lightening that out of focus tree on the right shoulder to match those near the left shoulder.

Don

[Jim Fenton]

Arash.....love the image....everything about it and I'm so glad this one was on the card.

I am sorry about the images lost....I would have been really bumbed.
'
Were thees birds baited or did you get lucky with this wonderful pose?

[yogesh_puranik]

just fantastic image arash simply stunning..superb eye contact. Can you let me know how you managed so eye level shot? You were in the hide?

[dankearl]

The foreground grass makes the photo for me.
Your usual IQ and sharpness, but the grass gives it something special.
I also agree about toning down the BG tree, but no big deal.

[Don Nelson]

Arash
To illustrate my suggestion on lightening those areas. Sorry I only had your JPG to work from so the quality is less than you will have.
You may or may not desire to make such a change -- for me... it keeps my eye from wandering off the bird onto an area of high contrast.
Best regards
Don

[arash_hazeghi]

Arash
To illustrate my suggestion on lightening those areas. Sorry I only had your JPG to work from so the quality is less than you will have.
You may or may not desire to make such a change -- for me... it keeps my eye from wandering off the bird onto an area of high contrast.
Best regards
Don

Thanks a lot Don for taking the time to process the image! I do see the merits of brightening the tree and I take your version over mine! thanks a lot!

[arash_hazeghi]

Arash.....love the image....everything about it and I'm so glad this one was on the card.

I am sorry about the images lost....I would have been really bumbed.
'
Were thees birds baited or did you get lucky with this wonderful pose?

Thanks Jim, I don't do baiting :)

[arash_hazeghi]

just fantastic image arash simply stunning..superb eye contact. Can you let me know how you managed so eye level shot? You were in the hide?

Yogesh, you have to practice hand-holding your rig so when you see action, you can quickly respond and snap the shot-a hide will not help you for this kind of shots unless you attract the bird with a secondary method.

[Chris Martinez]

Beautiful!......And the lightening of BG in the repost just sets it off!!!

That grassy foreground is just awesome!!!! Really, really like it.

[Tin Man Lee]

amazing head on, congratulations, I wish its mine.

[Jay Gould]

Arash, without a doubt the image is spectacular.

When I first looked at the eyes, and when I looked at the top lines of the OOF foliage, they all appear a bit high on the left.

However, when you do an onscreen level check, the eyes are level. Tricks of the eye; in addition to being one of the HH Gurus, you are a magician too.

[arash_hazeghi]

Arash, without a doubt the image is spectacular.

When I first looked at the eyes, and when I looked at the top lines of the OOF foliage, they all appear a bit high on the left.

However, when you do an onscreen level check, the eyes are level. Tricks of the eye; in addition to being one of the HH Gurus, you are a magician too.

Thanks Jay, I wish I could perform magic!

[Kaustubh Deshpande]

Arash, best part is the grasses at the bottom. adds an abstract element to the shot. Well done as always.