Little owl

Gallery: AvianPosted April 29, 2015121 views7 comments

I wish in the upgrade to the new architecture you could right a longer title.

Little owl - The next generation

Over that last 10 days I've just started started to work with my Little owls again. Taking time to locate them after the Winter, not pushing them and getting them used to my presence ensures all comfort zones are not breached and everyone is happy. Seems the parents did not make it or have located to another area, but the two owlets from last year have set-up residency and bother & sister have bonded and from what I have seen from their 'courtship', soon someone will be on the nest, invariably the male. Sitting together you can easily tell what sex they are, as the characteristics are so pronounced, but the female still retains her distance as always, but the male has now become quite confident, but I always work with long lens.

Thanks to those who viewed or posted a comment on the previous thread.

Steve

Subject: Little owl (Athene noctua) head on, facing camera, standing on post
Location: UK
Camera: Canon 1DX
Lens: 200-400f/4 (560mm) Gitzo tripod/Whimberley head MK2
Exposure: 1/1600s at f/6.3 ISO500
Original format: Portrait, very slight crop.
Subject distance: 7.6m
Processed via: LR CC (2015) & PS CC 2014

Comments

7 comments

Comment posted by Keith Bauer on April 29, 2015 at 10:20 AM

Steve:

This is a nice portrait of this young owl. Nice detail in the plumage, nice overall exposure, although I'd look at a bit of dodging on the shadowed side of the face to bring it up just a bit.

I like the stump as the perch. I scrolled up and down doing a crop and like the image a bit better with a little less space on top.

Cute little guy!

Registered on November 20, 2003, 458 Posts, 4836 Comments

Comment posted by Craig Moreau on April 29, 2015 at 11:14 AM

Great owl portrait! I agree with Keith on both the dodging of the shadow side of the face, and the crop of some of the top empty space.

Registered on April 21, 2015, 64 Posts, 584 Comments

Comment posted by Stephen Kaluski on April 29, 2015 at 11:31 AM

Keith/Craig, I've just 'dodged' the area fractionally, plus I then just added a +8 saturation just for a bit more warmth and then changed the crop to a 10x8 so there is a tad less above, but still air to the sides. I assume Keith the max size is still 720 or is it now 800px on height for any RP?

Thanks

Steve

Registered on March 25, 2007, 189 Posts, 1064 Comments

Comment posted by Dennis Plank on April 29, 2015 at 11:58 AM

Beautiful portrait, Steve. I'm looking forward to your posts from this season.

devil

Registered on January 28, 2008, 1767 Posts, 23192 Comments

Comment posted by Charles Gangas on April 29, 2015 at 6:31 PM

Wonderful that you found your owls healthy and thriving Steve. The original post stands well, but I find the repost much more compelling. devil

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

Comment posted by Mark Seaver on April 29, 2015 at 7:17 PM

Great portrait here Stephen on a fine perch.

Registered on January 23, 2011, 1103 Posts, 17270 Comments

Comment posted by Philip Hodgkins on April 30, 2015 at 10:07 AM

Good looking little guy. Good eye contact, good detail. I appreciate the extended commentary. cool

Registered on July 24, 2006, 2741 Posts, 12349 Comments