Living adjacent to a pond in NH, I always enjoyed listening to the Barred Owls at night. Usually, they stayed in the wooded area at the rear of the property, but occasionally one would land in a nearby tree in our back yard. This photo was taken through a second story open window when one came to the tree on the hunt for a snack.
This was a difficult file to process. First, the light was overcast so the light was soft and the color muted, but there was also strong reflected light coming off the snow-covered ground which added some strong highlights. But perhaps the largest challenge was that my EOSD 50D missed the white balance by a mile, rendering the image way too warm. This shot was taken in portrait orientation - it is full width with a crop off both the top and bottom.
After spending countless hours trying to make it look right in color, I decided to convert to B&W, which IMO created a more compelling image.
Feedback Requests
I much preferred the B&W version as the color version never looked right to me. To my eye, it better conveys detail and seems to lose nothing in the process.
Your thoughts? Any and all feedback is appreciated!
Pertinent Technical Details
EOS 50D on tripod
EF 135/2L
f/2.8 @ 1/80, ISO 100
Processed in LRC
YIKES!! I’ve been busy lately and in a rush trying to catch up I almost missed this one! I’m SO glad I didn’t, because I think it (the B/W version) is spectacular! The owl is so sharp and detailed, with a laser-peer at some potential meal. The branch he is sitting on is magic, and so nicely supported by the ghostly-looking branches behind it. That sort of vibe is just what we expect of owls! This makes me feel it was shot at night with some sort of special light.
I see what you mean by WB – this one is tricky. Making a curves asj layer and clicking around with the neutral eyedropper fails to find a good neutral. The lightest feathers on the lower side worked about the best but I like your brownish color version better. But the B/W is spectacular, as is that crop!! A great choice and result!
Jim, this looks great in b&w as you’re cropped it. The high contrast really lets the owl stand out even as it shows off the details in the branch it’s perched on.
Great capture and I love your story! It is amazing to me that you can get such a wonderful owl image with only a 135mm lens and 100 ISO (and from a window in your home)! I agree 100% with your decision to turn it into a B&W image. It is very impressive how well the owl stands out. In my experience it is always tough just to find an owl because they always blend into their background so well.
Yes, this tree is very close to the house and the bird feeder is just on the other side of it. The tree is so close we had to trim the branches a few times from rubbing against the siding. Very lucky the owl decided to land in this tree and stay long enough for me to grab a few shots.
