Tawny owl chick

[Steve Kaluski]

• Canon EOS R3
• RF70-200mm F2.8 L IS USM
• ƒ/4
• 200mm
• 1/800s
• ISO 6400
• Steve Kaluski
• Wed, 05 July 2023 8:40 PM
• www.untamedimages.co.uk
• Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic 12.4 (Macintosh)

For some time now Tawny owls have been coming down to the Sparrow hawk site, but recently they have decided to bring their four off-spring too.

This was the first time I stayed late, two days on the bounce, 8 hours sleep in total, 360 miles covered, but worth it IMHO. Taken at 8.40pm, at 9.00pm, (or there abouts) we trip four daylight spots just to boost the light, owls are not fussed as the wattage is very low and they have diffusers fitted on the front, so it's really minimal light that is output. This one, like the other two were watching the female, demanding feeding, another flew off.

Once the parents come down, the chicks follow and so it's bedlam. As this was the first time, it was better to look to isolate the owls, techs & framing went out the window at times because it was just so frantic, so hopefully things will improve when I can get back in a few weeks time with more constant techs. ISO ranged from 6400-20k!!!

The RF 70-200f/2.8 is awesome, pin sharp and the 100-500 also did well, likewise both the R3 & R5.

Thanks to those who posted or viewed the previous posting.

Steve

Subject: Tawny chic (Strix aluco)
Location: UK
Camera: Canon EOS R3
Lens:RF70-200mm F2.8 L IS USM HH
Exposure: 1/800s at f/4 ISO6400 EV -1
Original format: Landscape, FF
Processed via: LRCC 12.4 & PS'23 24.6.0

Attracted with chicken livers and pigeon road kill

 

[Randy Stout]

Steve:

Noise very well handled, sharp, lovely detail in the feathers and fuzz. Because of the gaze direction, I would be tempted to try a version without the bird on the left. Guess it depends on how important that one is to the story telling.

Look forward to more. After reading about the hours you put, makes me want to take a nap.

Randy

 

[Steve Kaluski]

Cheers Randy, thought I would leave it in on this, but have others to post that perhaps will answer your thoughts. Because we are using a blind, they are with 4-6m (12-16ft) away and totally relaxed, but if one owl stops and looks directly you just freeze, then within seconds rumbling tommy’s take over. I. Conditions like this, it’s helpful to go back to previous AF methods. Any thoughts shooting in dark conditions with Avian gratefully appreciated, but I think it’s f/4 with a higher SS and disregard ISO and ETTR. :S3:

 

[Andreas Liedmann]

Hi Steve ... nice to see a different owl and the story behind the shot is interesting .

Technically nicely done and well controlled tone and color , stunning IQ with the high iso . Personally I think the second Owl is not helping the image ... so I would remove it .
The Owl does look interested in something ... and looks kind of cute . I do have some sort of the same with the Owlets ... and deleted most of them due to the head angle , as folks are asking for a better HA . Kept only some for me ...

Cool options you have , like to see more

TFS Andreas

 

[Gabriela Plesea]

Dear Steve,
I think the owl in the corner adds context. It also adds movement and balances the frame, so for me an 'aesthetic necessity' so to speak, just makes the image more pleasing to the eye. Love the dark BG and perch, subject is super cute... superb detail and sharpness. Just cannot wait to see more:cheers:

Warmest regards,

 

[Steve Kaluski]

Thank you Gabriela, it’s nice to get back to photographing owls after such a break, but LO’s will always still be special. Who knows what may happen in a few weeks time, hopefully still around, but the juvenile KF have fledge.

Hope you get some time with your Sunbirds etc and look forward to seeing new postings. :cheers:

 

[Gabriela Plesea]

Little Owls very special, Steve. Hope to find some Pearl Spotted in Kruger in September.

Just cannot get close to those Sunbirds...Was in the driver's seat the other day, for over an hour, by the aloes...camera sticking out the window and not one bird in front of my lens... meanwhile a sunbird lands on the mirror near the passenger seat and sings its heart out... oh well :2eyes2:

 

[Arthur Morris]

• Canon EOS R3
• RF70-200mm F2.8 L IS USM
• ƒ/4
• 200mm
• 1/800s
• ISO 6400
• Steve Kaluski
• Wed, 05 July 2023 8:40 PM
• www.untamedimages.co.uk
• Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic 12.4 (Macintosh)

My two cents. The night lighting is superb and the feather detail on the chick is incredible. My feelings about the o-o-f owl going the wrong way can be discerned with a look at the repost. I lost the bit of stuff hanging off the perch below the owl that connected to the frame edge. And a few other specks.

with love, artie

 

[Steve Kaluski]

Thanks Artie, an option definitely, although I do have ones like this hence the inclusion. Hope all is good in Iceland.

 

[William Dickson]

Hi Steve. Looking real good and I do like the RP without the OOF owl. I really like the detail you captured on the bird and the perch is perfect for the scene. The dark BG adds so much. Nice pose and I like the position of the bird in the frame. It reminds me of when I photographed the Pine Marten during darkness. When I was photographing the Tawny Owl last year the adult was coming in during daylight hours, when they were feeding the young.

Well done

Will

 

[Steve Kaluski]

Cheers Will, but on reflection I made a bit of a pigs ear on the Techs and EV, so will revise if the opportunity arises next month. Just went down a rabbit hole and where the camera over ran my thinking. In the cold light of day I know where I went wrong and so hopefully the images will be better and more importantly, easier to process for better IQ!!! :w3