Short-eared Owl in a fog

Gallery: AvianPosted September 19, 2010767 views28 comments

Asio flammeus

Ron Dudley and I returned yesterday from a great 5 day camping trip to Red Rock Lakes NWR, and Cliff and Wade Lakes in southern Montana.

We had 13 wonderful minutes with this female Short-eared Owl perched on this fencepost on a foggy morning with some light frost on the ground at Red Rock Lakes NWR. The sun was rising and we had vastly varying light, the fog can act like a wispy living thing! I had quite a few images to pick from with all kinds of facial expressions, varying eye contact and poses. I picked this one to post today because it appeared she was looking down at the ground for voles and while there is eye contact she is simply going about the business of being an owl and not concerned with our presence.

I processed this image purposely to keep the low light, foggy appearance which means not quite as much fine detail as you might be used to seeing in my images. D200, f/7.1, 1/640, ISO 400, o EV comp, 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at about 350mm, 80% of the original frame. Aperture priority, auto ISO turned off. Not a setup, not baited. Larger image posted.

As always, I sincerely appreciate your comments and critiques. Thank you for looking.

Comments

28 comments

Comment posted by Mauro Pasquero on September 19, 2010 at 5:13 PM

Mia,
your style is always unmistakable and unique! You love these birds!

Well done and well presented.
I envy you have such a great places where to find them.
Mauro

Registered on January 21, 2010, 650 Posts, 2500 Comments

Comment posted by Ian Mason on September 19, 2010 at 5:19 PM

I'm glad you processed it this way, Mia, as it has a painterly feel to it. The expression is priceless!

Registered on December 14, 2005, 399 Posts, 2305 Comments

Comment posted by David Schoen on September 19, 2010 at 5:27 PM

Mia. Great face on the owl. uh, "if looks could kill".. I'm watching you watching me looking for my voles, now get outta here and let me do my job, yeah, you caught me, now snap that shutter and let me hunt...oh and yeah, may the fog rust your Nikon. Well, this is a really neat capture in the fog with a nicely blending BG. I might cut a small percentage off the top. Love the comp. I can feel the cold.

Registered on November 6, 2006, 1213 Posts, 4587 Comments

Comment posted by Neil Rossmiller on September 19, 2010 at 5:57 PM

Hi Mia,
This has the feel of an illustration and is as good as it gets for me. Your PP is spot on as usual. I agree that a little off the top works as well.
Very cool!
Neil

Registered on October 30, 2009, 156 Posts, 749 Comments

Comment posted by Buck Ward on September 19, 2010 at 6:14 PM

Mia - this is wonderful. Soft and serious.

Registered on December 8, 2003, 96 Posts, 1917 Comments

Comment posted by Ron Dudley on September 19, 2010 at 7:18 PM

Excellent Mia. I like the head angle you chose here (knowing you had many to choose from) and that background is wonderful. I especially enjoy the head detail and those two conspicuous claws on top of the post. She was a wonderful and obliging little lady, wasn't she.

Registered on March 30, 2007, 437 Posts, 10915 Comments

Comment posted by Steve Balke on September 19, 2010 at 8:25 PM

Wonderful muted colors allow those yellow eyes, nicely framed by the white feathers in the face, to demand our attention, Mia. I'm very fine with her exactly as posted. It's true that less room above the owl would make this more of an owl image. However, it seems to me that the existing room above the head places the owl more in perspective---she looks more the way you actually observed her to be. The bird is still plenty big enough in the frame for us to appreciate her. I enjoyed reading your caption too.

Registered on June 18, 2009, 229 Posts, 2915 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Ditch on September 19, 2010 at 8:25 PM

A delightful image. Very moody from the light and fog.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 1031 Posts, 12705 Comments

Comment posted by Ron Pullen on September 19, 2010 at 8:35 PM

Beautiful portrait of a fine species. Excellent in every way. Ron

Registered on December 18, 2005, 74 Posts, 1413 Comments

Comment posted by Mia McPherson on September 19, 2010 at 9:00 PM

Rich M.,

Comment posted by Rich Mayer on 09/19/10 at 6:47 pm MDT
Registered on 02/06/10, 64 Posts, 3094 Comments

I'll be the lone dissenter on this pic. I don't like it as much as most of your photos. Call me Old School or something, but I prefer the crisper rendition that Ron has posted. Not saying I'm right, not saying you're wrong. Just an honest statement.
But then again, it is nice to post something a bit different and out-of-the-ordinary once in a while, so kudos for that.
Rich M.

I think it is fine that you say you don't like this as much as the rest of my images, I can respect that. It is your opinion of the image I presented.

But I do not believe it is the purpose of this forum to compare my Short-eared Owl image with Ron D's Swainson's Hawk. They are two different birds, taken on two different days in completely different light by two different photographers in the same general area of the country. When I post an image I am asking for comments and critiques on my image, not Ron's or anyone else's. Of course I am not wrong to post this image, nor is anyone else here who does.

This may have been an honest statement Rich, but I think it is off the wall to compare apples and oranges and that is precisely what you have done.

Registered on June 25, 2007, 491 Posts, 12566 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Teller on September 19, 2010 at 9:23 PM

absolutely beautiful image.

Registered on August 23, 2010, 1162 Posts, 6692 Comments

Comment posted by Angela McCain on September 19, 2010 at 10:06 PM

An interesting image that makes you want to stay and look a while longer. Almost as if it isn't a photo at all, but a pastel. Just lovely and compelling. But, I might consider a little crop off the top.

Registered on April 19, 2009, 367 Posts, 3589 Comments

Comment posted by Ronnie Gaubert on September 19, 2010 at 10:08 PM

Hi Mia,
First, great job of getting this guy on a good perch and the fog provided one heck of a background. I'm leaning towards Rich's side of the field. Seems I keep wanting to clean my dirty fingerprint covered glasses when I view the image. I perfectly understand your reasons for posting the shot as is but to my eyes the image is just begging for more contrast and/or a slight darkening of the image.
By the way thanks because I did clean my glasses to make sure I was correct in my assessment.

Ronnie

Registered on November 1, 2003, 810 Posts, 3495 Comments

Comment posted by Jim DeWitt on September 20, 2010 at 12:25 AM

A lovely, moody and painterly image. I enjoy seeing a photo which hasn't been sharpened to the edge - or past the edge - of a scientific journal illustration. You've conveyed a nice sense of the fog, as you said in your title. I'd be proud to have this image in my portfolio. And wouldn't hesitate to enter it in any photo contest you care to name.

Registered on August 28, 2006, 1240 Posts, 8506 Comments

Comment posted by Ákos Lumnitzer on September 20, 2010 at 1:27 AM

Amazing capture Mia. The mood is fabulouse. Well chosen image.

Registered on April 24, 2004, 25 Posts, 510 Comments

Comment posted by Charles Gangas on September 20, 2010 at 7:53 AM

Mia-looks as though you had a wonderfully productive trip. I like your choice in PP here-soft, subtle, and artistically interpretive. Very beautifully rendered.

Registered on August 12, 2009, 544 Posts, 2414 Comments

Comment posted by Monica Siri on September 20, 2010 at 10:13 AM

Mia,
I like the foggy effect you chose, the pose of the bird and the beautiful background. Really nice.

Registered on September 20, 2009, 132 Posts, 3764 Comments

Comment posted by Ron Bielefeld on September 20, 2010 at 4:10 PM

Most excellent Mia. One of my favorites of yours. Very well done. Love the foggy style here.

Registered on December 6, 2008, 360 Posts, 7132 Comments

Comment posted by Darren Colello on September 20, 2010 at 4:19 PM

Great angle, textures and intensity. A very engaging image. Congrats Mia.

Registered on July 27, 2009, 175 Posts, 1100 Comments

Comment posted by Butch Lama on September 20, 2010 at 7:06 PM

Great foggy feel you capture, love that eye contact too.

Registered on July 23, 2010, 42 Posts, 316 Comments

Comment posted by Dan Moore on September 20, 2010 at 10:38 PM

WOW. I love the fog but not usually for birds.Just a super job! I think it is one of the best of the year.

Dan

Registered on February 11, 2010, 143 Posts, 1248 Comments

Comment posted by Rohn B. McKee on September 20, 2010 at 11:42 PM

Mia,
Simply wonderful! the expression and attitude is pure wildness. Excellent techs. Thank You for sharing

Registered on November 18, 2008, 109 Posts, 415 Comments

Comment posted by Ken Archer on September 21, 2010 at 3:59 AM

She certainly is a beauty! Very Nice Mia!!!

Ken Archer

Registered on October 28, 2004, 222 Posts, 6683 Comments

Comment posted by David Haynes on September 21, 2010 at 11:05 AM

Wow Mia!!!! This is beautiful. The soft light is working for me. I love the intent look. You got really close to her without her moving. I'm envious. So nice Mia. I'm glad you and Ron had a fun trip. Looking forward to more of your captures.

Registered on February 20, 2010, 110 Posts, 1511 Comments

Comment posted by Rob Drummond on September 22, 2010 at 1:06 AM

You've captured the moment perfectly Mia

cheers
Rob

Registered on November 8, 2003, 617 Posts, 8267 Comments

Comment posted by Simon Bennett on September 22, 2010 at 5:25 PM

Wonderful earth tones, pose aand I like the foggy mood.

Registered on February 4, 2007, 350 Posts, 4614 Comments

Comment posted by May Haga on September 23, 2010 at 10:50 AM

Outstanding image Mia.
May

Registered on February 22, 2007, 714 Posts, 8470 Comments

Comment posted by Howard Cheek on October 2, 2010 at 8:52 AM

Beautiful image Mia, great comp and the slightly "foggy" look works for me..
Have not one owl shot I can call my own..
So here's my big fat

Have a great weekend!

Registered on July 24, 2008, 1201 Posts, 10758 Comments