Glowing Snowy

[laurie golden]

Another Snowy at Damon Point after sunset with the moon rising behind it. I tried several different shots, this one with a blurry moon behind the bird. Processing included cropping to 8x10 from the top, noise reduction and sharpening.Nikon D3s, 500mm f4 plus 1.4 converterISO 1600, f5.6, 1.250secManual exposure

[Doug Brown]

Like the composition! Overall an excellent image! I might try to bring out a bit more detail in the darks. I would also consider slightly more canvas on the right and a little less on the left.

[arash_hazeghi]

very nice work I love the BG. Can you explain a bit more about processing? is this a single frame or two separate photos? From the catch light in the eyes it seems that this was perfectly timed between sunset and moonrise with the sun still above the horizon and the moon relatively high above the horizon as well(?) Also the exposure for moon and snowy are very different...just curious how you did it.


A great work.

[laurie golden]

Arash,

I may not remember exactly what I did in processing this owl. It was taken after sunset. The time was 4:49 and I think sunset was about 4:35. For processing, in ARC I increased exposure by +1. I then masked the bird and perch and applied Topaz DNoise on each - light on the bird and strong on the background. I used Topaz detail to sharpen the owl and perch. Then I dodged the eyes. I do not recall changing the exposure after it was masked but it is possible that I did.

[arash_hazeghi]

Thanks Laurie,

I am still scratching my head, you are saying that this was after the sunset but we can see the sun above the horizon in the owl's eyes(?) also usually exposure for the moon is close to daylight but the owl exposure is more like twilight exposure so the difference is more than say 15 stops... Maybe I am wrong but I can't undrestand how this was possible.

Can you please post the original so we can all learn from it. It will be very helpful. Thanks!

[Tom Rambaut]

Agree in cropping a bit to the right. Cropped too close to the stump on the right. Great creative thinking.

[laurie golden]

Here is the original. I checked with the US Navy on times. Sunset at Ocean Shores on January 8th was 4:43, moonrise was 4:34 and end civil twilight was 5:18. The photo was taken 4:49. Any light in his eyes must be from twilight.

[arash_hazeghi]

Thanks a lot Laurine, I learned!

You planned very carefully and it paid off well. the impressive dynamic range of the D3S helped too ;)

Excellent creative work, sure is a wall hanger! :) Thanks for explaining the exposure and sharing the original. impressive shot

[Dan Behm]

Laurie, This is incredible, I cannot stop looking at it, I absolutely love what you created here. Very beautiful!

[dankearl]

Outstanding. Just a great composition and execution.
I like the darker sky of the original so I would probably just lighten the perch as you did and
leave the richer sky color if it were mine (I wish it was), but that is just a personal preference.
Your photo is Lovely.

[christopher galeski]

Beautiful image,agree on a bit more canvas on the right,well done.

[Yves Guillot]

I like both versions. Maybe a bit more the second one... nice shot!

[Kiran Poonacha]

beautiful image... I like both versions