Snowy Owl's Morning Sprint
As I’ve mentioned before, Snowy Owls do not have to be all white when photographing them.
Here, in the early morning winter’s light, we see that pure white is not on the artist’s palate.
Canon 40D with 100-400L lens @ 1/1250, f5.6, ISO 400, +1/3 exposure compensation, cropped for composition because I always use centre metering in AI mode for flying birds.
I don’t recall the temperature, but trust me, I wasn’t wearing shorts!
“Remember you are creating art and for this the rules are totally different . . . in fact there aren’t any.” Andy Rouse – Wildlife Photographer
Affronting Winter's First Light - Snowy Owl
Well, what can I say?! You just had to be there at 06:13 on a bitter cold winter's morning to catch something like this. No halancing for whites here, which in some bird photography circles would be anathema :-)
Canon 40D with 100-400L lens @ 1/1250, f5.6, ISO 400, + 1/3, at 400mm lens focal length.
Cropped for composition and horizon straightened.
Cheers,
Mike
I Don't Need Your Snowshoes, I've Got My Own - Snowy Owl
Canon 40D with 100-400L lens @ 1/1600, f10, ISO 200, * 1/3 exposure compensation, 300mm lens focal distance
Cheers,
Mike
I'm Off To See The Wizard
As we gain more and more experience, bird photographers become more critical of the pics that they take. With this shot, when the original size is viewed close up on my monitor, I'm not 100% satsfied with the focus - especially of the eyes. Most people probably wouldn't see the difference when framed at various smaller sizes, though.
A few years ago, I wouldn't have given it a thought, but today I have to look twice and be more critical of whether to accept or reject a photo. There are older photos on my site that I would not post today.
But, ego being what it is, it was the light that played in the balance for me in keeping this shot.
Then, there is also the point that there are many people out there less critical than fellow bird photographers. They prefer looking at the whole of the image to appreciate the feelings that it evokes, such as artists, rather than concentrate on some technical detail. Decisions, decision,.
Canon 40D with 100-400 lens @ 1/1600, f6.3, with +2/3 compensation, ISO 200 at 400mm lens focal distance.
Cheers,
Mike
Yum, Yum, This Is Tasty - Great Blue Heron
This young Great Blue Heron has just caught an afternoon snack at the Leon Provencher marsh near Quebec City.
For a change, I decided to try out a technique called digiscopy, photography using a spotting scope as the primary lens.
For this shot, I used a Kowa TSN 884 Prominar ED spotting scope with a TSN PZ 680-1000mm f7.7-11.4 lens adapter married to my Canon 40D camera mounted on a tripod.
The shot was taken at 680mm (not including the 40D’s camera crop factor) at about f7.7 @ ISO 400. It was slightly cropped because I required to format it for an 8.5 x 11 presentation.
Thanks to my employer at Quebec City’s boutique, Le Naturaliste, who let me take the equipment out for a test drive.
Cheers,
Mike
This Is My Post And I'm Not Letting You Have It - Snowy Owl
Hi Everyone:
It’s me again, Snowy. Mike has decided to give his flight shots a rest and post a portrait of me instead.
Modesty isn’t my strong point. As you can see, whether I’m flying or sitting on my post, I’m a thing of beauty to look at!
For this shot, Mike used his older 30D with 400 f5.6 lens, @ 1/4000, f5.6, 200 ISO.
Well, enough of that, I want to rest a while and bask in the warm light Catch you soon!
Cheers,
Snowy
Full-Spread Departure - Snowy Owl
Here is another one that Mike took of me just as I was taking off.
He cropped this image of me this way because he at times likes to frame at 8 X 16 inches.
Canon 40D with 100-400L lens @ 1/1600, f9.0, 200 ISO @ 260mm lens focal distance.
Cheers,
Snowy
I've Lost My Water Droplet - Duckling
There are no two ways about it - people just love ducklings, espeecially when presented with cute poses.
Here, our friend is caught with a water droplet falling from its beak and its reflection in the water.
Canon 40D with 100-400L lens @ 1/1000, f5.6, 400 ISO at 400mm lens focal length.
Slightly cropped and rotated for composition.
Cheers,
Mike
Snowy Owl's Dawn Patrol
As promised, here is another picture of me taken by Mike last winter. With the first morning’s light, my feathers are not white – not even the snow. And I’ve got to tell you, with the wind chill factor, it was cruelly frigid at this time of day. At least I’m protected by my feathers and down, but I must admit I don’t know how Mike and his friends manage to tough it out – it must be hard on the camera equipment and the fingers!
Canon 40D, with 100-400 lens @ 170mm lens focal distance, 1/1250, f6.3, 400ISO, = 1/3 exposure compensation.
Slightly cropped for composition purposes.
Cheers, Snowy
Olympic Games Workout
This Mallard duck is working out to get in shape for the Beijing Olympic Games - and hopefully will not become a Beijing Duck :-)
Has Anyone Seen Some Juicy Bugs? Eastern Kingbird
Canon 40D with 100-400 lens @ 1/800, f7.1, ISO 400 @ 365mm lens focal distance.
Cropped vertically.
Cheers,
Mike
Just Me And My Shadow - Snowy Owl
I told you I’d be back!
Mike caught me here skimming the ground with some shadow from my wings with his Canon 40D with 100-400 lens @ 1/1250, f10, ISO 200, with +1/3 compensation @ 400mm lens focal distance.
It appears that Mike didn’t like the uneven texture of the snow behind me, so he blurred it a bit – the sneaky devil.
Cheers,
Snowy
Happy Days Are Here Again!
This Common Yellowthroat Warbler sings his heart out near Cap Tourmente National Wildlife Reserve.
Canon 40D with 400mm f5.6L USM lens @ 1/800, f8, ISO 400.
Slight crop for composition purposes.
Cheers,
Mike
Attack Of The Killer Snow Geese
These Greater Snow Geese seem to be coming out from some dark abyss.
Tired of the standard photo with all those rules that are imposed on you?
Why not try something different. There is no law that says that you can’t choose a different format than the standard 2/3 or 3/4 proportion format. And who says that Snow Geese have to be shot against a standard blue sky with standard lighting?
Flying flock shots are harder than you think. You have to fight the tendency of zooming in too close, because depth of field is lost in doing so. Try to focus on one bird, one that is closer to your lens and not lost within the flock.
Canon 40D with 400 f5.6L lens @ 1/1000, f10, ISO 200, at – 2/3 compensation to prevent blowing out of whites.
Cheers,
Mike
The Water Is A Little Cool Today
This Blue Jay is making sure the feathers don't get wet.
Canon 40D with 400 f5.6L lens @ 1/1000, f6.3, ISO 320, with - 1/3 compensation @ 400mm focal distance (not including digital sensor crop factor).
I often give a small negative compensation with birds that have a bit of white feathers on a basically darker image to prevent blowing out details in the white.
Cheers,
Mike
It's Great To Be Alive!
Ducklings are always a hit with people - it's hard not to like them and their cute and amusing behaviours.
Canon 40D with 100-400L lens @ 1/800, f5.6, ISO 400, -1/3 compensation @ 260mm focal distance.
Cropped for composition purposes. I often dodge the eyes to remove shadows so that we can properly see them.
Cheers,
Mike
I Will Be Heard!
Every now and then, lady luck gives me the funny duck.
With this humorous shot, I had to decide whether to crop for composition horizontally or vertically – with moving or flying birds I often use the centre AF metering point which results in all shots being too centred.
By cropping vertically, I had to bring in the head and beak closer for that added punch. Cropping horizontally would have given more of the duck’s body – it’s great to have choices in life!
Canon 40D with 100-400L lens @ 1/1000, f5.6, ISO 400 @ 220mm focal distance.
Can't A Snowy Owl Have A Bit Of Privacy, Please?
We all know that Snowy Owls are basically white, right?
Well, when photographing outdoors, what our brain interprets as white is often not so.
For example, when looking at snow in the shade, early morning, or late afternoon we rarely see pure white, but our brain and our expectations interprets what we see as white.
Here, with a low February winter setting sun at about 17:00h, our white Snowy Owl takes on the wonderful colours of reflected light.
Although this humorous behavioural image is amusing to observe, it is an important observation for bird photographers who specialize in flight shots. Birds often defecate prior to taking off in flight. It is a warning for us to get ready for that much-anticipated takeoff.
Canon 40D with 100-400L lens @ 1/1000, f6.3, ISO 400 at 360mm focal distance. Slight crop for composition purposes.
Cheers,
Mike
Have My Wings Fully Grown Yet?
The ducklings at out local swamp are rapidly loosing their cute baby look. With feathers replacing down and their beaks taking more and more the form of adult Mallard ducks, the ducklings nonetheless haven't fully grown their flight feathers.
This little bundle shakes off excess water after following mom's lead in a session of dabbling.
Canon 40D with 100-400L lens, @ 1/800, f5.6, ISO 400, - 1/3 compensation at 400mm focal distance.
I often underexpose a bit to prevent burnout of white under-feathers in a relatively dark image when ducks or ducklings spread their wings.
Cheers,
Mike
I Told You Mike Had More Shots Of Me And My Friends . . . Snowy Owl
Well, I (this is Mike) learn something new every day. Finding this blog option of Pbase will permit me to add additional information with my images from time to time, for example, shot details.
Here, I used my "older" Canon 30D with my 100-400L lens at f.6.3, 1/3200, ISO 200, +2/3 compensation at 180mm focal distance. I at times carry two cameras while photographing Snows, the other a Canon 40D with the 400L fixed lens.
Both lenses have their advantages and disadvantages - in this case, at only 180mm, the 100-400 came in handy.
This winter was a little more difficult, I had to leave one camera behind, trading it for a cane because of knee problems.
Cheers,
Mike
Here Is A New Feather For My Collection
Reflective Screamer Thundering In
Full Of Colour And All In A Flutter
Recalling A Winter Friend - Snowy Owl
Hey, This Is The Only Thing In My Neighbourhood That Is Almost As Blue As Me!
Any Day Now I'll Take-Off
Joyeux Noël - Merry Christmas - Xrystos Narodyvsija
I'm Keeping You Posted - Snowy Owl
This Snowy is keeping me "posted" as to what is going on.
A lot of Snowy photographers prefer the "Arctic" look - with just snow and without any human structures present.
Here in Quebec, Snowys are often found perched on farmer's fence-posts and other structures, which frankly, adds depth to a photo.
The usual Canon equipment @ 1/1600, f/14, ISO 400.
This one was formatted and framed at 12 x 16.
Cheers,
Mike
Full Frontal - Snowy Owl
Canon 100-400L lens handheld @ 1/1600, f18, ISO 400, -2/3 exposure compensation.
Slight crop to straighten the horizon and to format for a 12 x 16 frame.
Severl snow reflections clonned away. I decided to leave the corn stalks. Eyes slightly lightened to reduce shadow and unveil the yellow. The sky looks a little blotchy, but that's because of image's low optimised resolution - the original is okay.
Cheers,
Mike