Owl

Critique Style Requested: Standard

The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.

Description

Lots of birds nest in saguaro cacti. This little owl was peeking out from a hole in the side of a saguaro.

Specific Feedback

I’m comfortable with this one but any and all comments would be welcome.

Technical Details

ISO 640, 400mm, f/5.6, 1/800th sec.


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6 Likes

HA!! Excellent catch! Great even to have found him, camouflaged so well.
Fine detail, and the touch of blur on the cactus along the face - intended or not - accentuates the detail of the owl.
Wonderful complementary colours.
Love it!

Hi Don, excellent camouflaged look here at the owl - you really have to look for it which is great. Agree with Sandy that the blur on the cactus accentuates the owl. Wonderfully seen and taken.

Anyone’s dream of a picture, I guess. Mine in any case. And there’s an ocean lying between that dream and myself!
Much admiration thus for spotting, capturing and framing this splendid moment. Xavier

Sandy, Allen, Xavier, thanks for the comments.:slight_smile:

Excellent, Don. I like the way the relatively long focal length compressed the image and makes me wonder how on earth that owl got in there or is going to get out. A wonderful find and very well handled.

Thanks, Dennis. I must admit that I wasn’t thinking about compressing the image. I used a long focal length because I didn’t want to get too close to the owl. Didn’t want to spook it.

I figured that was the case, but it still had an interesting effect.

Very cool image, Don. The owl is really well camouflaged and it takes a second to spot it. Good detail in the owl and I like how it fits into the space. Good detail in the cactus as well. A unique capture; well done.

1 Like

Absolutely superb!! At least a 15/10!! No suggestions!

Allen, Diane, thank you both.

I couldn’t even see the owl at first. Great camouflage. Image looks great. Wonderful textures. Nicely composed.

Thanks, Chris.

All I can say is how on earth did you even find this bird??? Wow is that thing camouflaged well. In the thumbnail I couldn’t even see the owl at all. Terrific find and capture. The lack of depth of field really makes the owl pop from the surrounding cacti. The colors look spot on. Great sharpness on the owl. I can’t think of anything I would do to this to make it better. Awesome.

David, owl detection software is really amazing these days.

Actually, a guy I passed on the trail pointed to the saguaro and told me there was an owl there. Even with that alert, it took me a while to see it.

Wow what a camouflaged owl image you captured. I had to look for the owl for several minutes before I noticed the owl. Well done!

OUTSTANDING…I missed this one originally, Don. Gotta love the hide & seek going on here… :star_struck:
Congrats on the EP…well deserved.

What a great find and capture, Don! I wonder how many could walk right by this and never see him? Worthy EP.

Lori, Paul, Shirley, thank you all.

I missed the image too, but fortunately you got the EP so I noticed it.
What a great find. You must thank the guy that pointed you to the saguaro, but you made the image. Superb shot, and Sandy is right about the blur. Very cool.

1 Like