Burrowing Owl

Image Critiques Avian Critiques
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When I visited the Burrowing Owls this year I planned for some moody shots, in the last daylight. This was shot against the light circles of a car passing by in the distance. For the full story you can check my blog https://www.hansoverduin.nl/owls-sunset/ .
Thanks for viewing and any comments !
Cheers, Hans

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Nikon D4s with 500mm f4 | 1/200s | f4 | ISO800 | monopod

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4 Likes
2

What a creative image. I really like the concept and your execution and planning paid off. My only wish is that the lights from the cars were softer on the edges rather than pretty hard edged circles.

3

I really like this shot. I have to admit that, to my eye, it would be even nicer without the eye pulling logo deal in the bottom RH corner. It throws the compositional balance off too. What a shot though!

4

Thanks Keith for your feedback ! Best, Hans

5

Thanks Dave ! Just ignore the watermark - I have it set automatically in my exports and hardly notice it myself anymore :wink: but I see what you mean .

6

Your patience paid off. Neat shot. And it looks like a nice sunset glow on the owl.

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7

Beautiful image. Love that you were able to include the headlights. I reviewed your blog. All are, once again, wonderful, but I really like the one with only a portion of the owl included (in lower left corner) but with perhaps a bit cropped off top to eliminate the brightest areas at top. Thanks you for including your blog shots.

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8

Wonderful shot and incredible light. I might wish to see this with 1 extra stop at 5.6 to get the whole fence post in perfect focus as every thing else looks silky.

9

That is really neat, Hans. The exposure is utterly perfect. I’d never have guessed the light circles were from a car-very effective.

10

This is what I try to do with my bird images go beyond a document of a bird. This image is art.

11

Wow – I just saw the “3 years later”!! Glad this one came up again – I LOVE what the car lights did!

Had to take the liberty to have a look at putting a little more soft light on the owl

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2 Likes
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Superb image, Hans. Your attempt to get some creative imagery paid off handsomely. I love the tops of the grasses sneaking into the globes of the headlight beams. Great angle on the bird, and I like that he appears to be almost sleeping. Small nit is just wishing for a better perch but you can’t control where they land. Thanks for sharing this one, Hans.

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13

Feel free, Diane - I decided against it though myself as I wanted to preserve the atmosphere as I experienced it :wink:

14

Fantastic image. well seen and captured.