Among The Aspen

Gallery: AvianPosted July 15, 2016570 views10 comments

Hi everyone! I just realized I never posted this one from all the way back in June of 2015.

This is one of my favourite experiences photographing Great Grey Owls. We spotted this guy as he flew into an aspen tree at the edge of the forest. It was so nice to be able to photograph him with nothing man made in the frame (the owls in this area really like fence posts and power poles). We were able to move around to different angles several times without disturbing him, which was great. A few times he would stare intensely below him, and I thought maybe we'd get to see him catch something, but he never left his perch. Now that I think about it, he was probably just trying to psych me out. enlightened

Anyway, thanks for lookin'!

Nikon D7100
ISO 800
1/400sec @ f/2.8
-0.3 exposure comp
300mm

Comments

10 comments

Comment posted by Keith Bauer on July 15, 2016 at 10:17 AM

Hi Jenaya:

Very pleasing image. Your composition is very bold with the owl on the far left edge. I think it works for this image largely because the green leaves help with the visual balance. Techs look great. Nicely done.

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

Comment posted by Steve Thompson on July 15, 2016 at 3:39 PM

As Keith said, this is an unconventional composition but I think it works well for a couple of reasons.The leaves do balance the image and I like how the tree the owl is on is sharp and the other trees get more oof the farther they go back. That gives the viewer a great sense of dimension and depth. Well done Jenaya!

Registered on August 7, 2014, 125 Posts, 2319 Comments

Comment posted by Philip Hodgkins on July 15, 2016 at 8:48 PM

Jenaya, I like this for the same reasons Keith and Steve expressed. I have to admit I think the very shallow DOF is a little off-putting. This may be subjective on my part, but it just looks a little weird to me. cool

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

Comment posted by David Schoen on July 15, 2016 at 9:08 PM

Very nice shot and I really like the placement of your subject in the frame. It really pops with the way you have things focused. Nice detail. The greenery really helps with the composition of the image. Nice work.

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

Comment posted by Hans Overduin on July 16, 2016 at 10:25 AM

Excellent choice to post it at last enlightened

. Love the owl, of course, but the setting is making the image for me. The greens as a roof and nice depth in the image ... No nits, only awe ! Cheers, Hans

Registered on August 31, 2011, 491 Posts, 3807 Comments

Comment posted by John Tobias on July 16, 2016 at 4:58 PM

I find this to be a very well done image. Wish I had taken it. Great that you found an owl in an open sitting. Thanks for sharing.

Registered on September 12, 2009, 2120 Posts, 6455 Comments

Comment posted by Nick Bristol on July 17, 2016 at 5:26 PM

Jenaya, This is a wonderful shot of this Great Grey Owl. I love how you set up this composition and also your use of focus here. It works beautifully for me. Very interesting to view and I have a feeling this would make a very cool print.

Nick Bristol
Lone Rock, WI.

Registered on February 1, 2004, 752 Posts, 14140 Comments

Comment posted by Dennis Plank on July 18, 2016 at 8:29 PM

Lovely composition, Jenaya, and superb detail in the owl. I do wish the owl were just a touch further to the right.

devil

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

Comment posted by Kurt Bowman on July 18, 2016 at 8:56 PM

Hi Jenaya, I pretty much echo Keith's thoughts on this, yes very bold to go that far left and yes the image is very balanced with tthe leaves. I love how the aspens create vertical lines throughout the image. Nice work.

Registered on June 19, 2008, 1005 Posts, 8028 Comments

Comment posted by Jenaya Launstein on July 19, 2016 at 1:43 AM

Thank you everyone for all the kind comments! I would absolutely love to do a large print of this and hang it up.

Registered on February 8, 2011, 254 Posts, 1302 Comments