Same Owl Same Box Different Head Turn and Processing

Image Critiques Everything Else Critiques
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-20230713-_A1_9597-Great-horned Owl-Enhanced-NR-Edit.jpg
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Critique Style Requested: Standard

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

Description

This was actually taken a slightly before my last post. Looking at the comments from @Ryan_H and @Mike_Friel , I removed that one brighter fir tip, but left some others in to the right to convey the idea of firs (to those of us familiar with them) and darkened the box significantly to help convey the pre-dawn feel.

Specific Feedback

Once again, does the early morning feel come across? The owl is brightened slightly and I brought the blacks up so only a couple of tiny areas are blocked up, but I didn’t want to go too far and make this look like a mid-day image.

Technical Details

Sony A1, FE 200-600 @ 600 mm, tripod with gimbal head, f/6.3, 1/13, iso 1250, manual exposure. Processed in LR & PS CC. Cropped to 4015x3020. Taken yesterday at 5:23 AM.

1 Like
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This one strikes me as lonelier and sadder than the other. I think it’s the looking away and down that makes me think that way even though it has no basis in fact. The subdued light is so appropriate for an owl and I appreciate you keeping it dark. Not sure I’d know it was morning necessarily, but certainly at the end of the day in either direction. Really super.

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Dennis, sorry didn’t get a chance to leave a further comment on this one.
I really like it, I think that the darker box has improved the overall night-time feel.

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Thanks, @Ryan_H. I appreciate it, and thanks for the input.