Little Owl X ( juv)

[Andreas Liedmann]

• Andreas Liedmann
• Adobe Photoshop Camera Raw 15.5 (Macintosh)

Hi folks ... another LO image from this morning

They are doing well and learned quickly where the worms are ... albeit they do not seem got be very happy with the taste , or they are simply not hungry enough . LOL
At least they come to a spot away from the ugly pile of wooden boards .
Most of the shots were not that nice due to the plastic bucket with the worms ( have to find a better solution ) .... sometimes sitting in or on the bucket . At least they come to that spot .
Today it was way too dark for any potential flight shots and they are fully unpredictable how and when they fly ... or I am simply too slow , might be the real truth :bg3:. But 1/1600 or slower is not ideal for the flight shooting .
So I took static shots .... with the same kind of fun , it is just so good to see that they are doing well .
Funny enough one of the parents returned , keeping an eye on the scene .... giving an alarm call at times . Suddenly the two youngsters disappear into the pile of boards . Returning after a couple of minutes .
I could watch them for two hours this morning .
Overcast and quite dark , so kept the image cooler in the WB

So here you go ....

Canon EOS R3
RF 2,8 400 IS L + 1,4 TC
Tripod


F 4 ; Iso 6400 ; 1/1600 sec ( should have stopped down for more DOF )


Processed with ACR and PSCC 2023 ; added canvas to top and LHS , cropped from bottom

Hope you like it , any comment and critique is greatly appreciated .

Cheers Andreas

 

[Jonathan Ashton]

Lovely shot, I would go along with your self critique a little more DOF to make the feet in focus. I am please that the background is not all grey or all green.

 

[kevin Hice]

Andreas I'm alright with the DOF. love the straight stare. Nice background. Owls have excellent hearing is why they find the worms. I would dig a small hole and place the container/ bucket inside where it is flush with the ground. Good luck TFS

 

[Andreas Liedmann]

Thanks Jon and Kevin for your comments , much appreciated glad you like it .

@ Kevin ... thanks for the idea , will think about it :bg3:

 

[Steve Kaluski]

I would dig a small hole and place the container/ bucket inside where it is flush with the ground.

And leave the dirt on for a more 'authentic' look. If you get a chance to see them getting worms then its the stretching/elastic band look, the worm is around 45 degrees and something has to give. I have only seen it a few times in seven years whilst photographing Little owls.

 

[Gabriela Plesea]

Hello Andreas,

I think your Little Owl is super cute, great POV and pose is awesome. For me DoF not a problem, there's so much emphasis on the eyes and I love the expression.

Nice colours and I like the perch and background, well processed with good detail where it matters - a pleasure to view:w3

Kind regards,

 

[Andreas Liedmann]

Thanks folks for your comments , much appreciated .

@ Steve not sure if i can mange the worm expectations you suggest , as they are not really predictable in their behavior .
I would be more than happy if i can make them come down to a certain place on the property , but sometimes they are relaxed ... other times they are skittish .
I do not have the time to go there so often

Cheers Andreas

 

[William Dickson]

Very nice Andreas.. That facial expression is so eye catching. Lovely detail on the bird with a nice perch. What a difference, for me anyway, from your earlier LO images, when the perches IMO sort of took away the beauty of the bird.

Will

 

[Andreas Liedmann]

Thanks Will ... part of the process with them . But they dictate more or less the perches :bg3:.
But you can be sure that I go back and edit more of them when the Owlets has been smaller .