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Barn Owl - Tyto alba


Barn Owl - Tyto alba
Photo Information
Copyright: Emma Taylor (Aramok) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 896 W: 101 N: 1501] (5166)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-10-10
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon EOS 40D, Canon EF 75-300mm F/4-5.6 III USM, Digital ISO 400
Exposure: f/8, 1/100 seconds
Details: (Fill) Flash: Yes
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Travelogue: Britsh Wildlife Center
Theme(s): Alex99 favorite shots [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2008-04-15 4:50
Viewed: 5123
Points: 28
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Again, another from my archives of my visit to the British Wildlife Centre at Lingfield in Surrey.

I'm guessing that a lot of people will recognise the Barn Owl and it is a truly beautiful bird to meet in the wild. I have been fortunate enough during my life (so far) to have lived in the countryside where its habitats have been protected. When I lived in the Lake District, a National Park, I frequently met the owl hunting when I was driving home late at night (by late, I mean very late) and it often took me by surprise. Caught in the car headlights, it literally did look like a flying ghost. These sightings were often only very fleeting, so it is with great joy that I remember on day as a child (in the same area as a visitor) I spotted on sitting the day out in a fir tree. I sat and watched it for hours until my parents called me back in.

Where I live now, we get the odd sighting, less frequent that when I moved to the area 10 years ago, but we also get the Tawny Owl and the Little Owl as well. I understand that the range of the Tawny Owl tends not to overlap with the Barn Owl. The Tawny is winning outright at present, but very occasionally I recognise the screech at night in the distance.

Anyhow, this Barn Owl in one from the Centre which was brought out for the photographic day. It was standing on a fallen tree, I was kneeling down to be at the same height as it. Fill-in flash was used because the owl was under a tree and it was quite overcast, but otherwise nothing else has happened. It is almost full frame - just not quite. The picture has been left as is. The BG was naturally dark.

The picture has been therefore only had a slight crop, resized, USM'ed and a border added. I have left the catch of flash in the eye because it has helped to fill in a 'void'. I failed to get any other eye detail in the picture. Only a few of the other shots which were much closer head and shoulder shots managed to get any eye detail.

Anyhow - enjoy.
Heaven, eqshannon, Alex99, marhowie, angela926, Proframe, gracious, jusninasirun, hester has marked this note useful
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ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
Animal Behaviouringridshaul 1 07-11 07:48
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Critiques [Translate]

Hi Emma!

You present us a real beauty - so well put on stage! The details are superb as well as the animal itself. I especially love the colours and the shapes of the feathering.

I see that this stage at the British Wildlife Centre was very valuable for you... and therefore also for us!

Kind regards

Markus

You and Joey and owls....you would have some fun shooting together...Very soft. Very "pretty" picture and nice notations...Some of these names we hear all the time are brought to life in colour with your lens...just think how many people see your images and hear your words. You are a valuable part not only of TN community but of the natural world community!
Bob

Hi Emma,
Very nice shot. Great details and sharpness.
TFS
Wei

  • Great 
  • Alex99 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 4072 W: 133 N: 7096] (23735)
  • [2008-04-15 8:34]

Hi Emma.
I think to see this charming owl is happiness. However you managed even to photograph it and create an amazing portrait. Bravo. Fantastic feather and colour reproduction. Superb pleasant BG, ultimate framing and composition. Flash work is fantastic as well as precise DOF. My congratulations and all the best.
Alexei.

Hi Emma,
This is great, a pleasure to view.
Excellent quality image, done very well..
Very well indeed!
TFS,
Howard

Hello Emma,
Great close up of this owl, beautiful colors and contrast, excellent sharpness, good depth of field and very nice details, nice composition, good point of view, and lovely light.
Angela

  • Great 
  • Hil Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 696 W: 13 N: 1407] (5035)
  • [2008-04-15 12:32]

Hi Emma

Lovely shot of the Barn Owl,
Nicely composed with a great POV and a excellent pose with the head turned in profile.
Nice details and good use of flash which has lit the Owl superbly and created the dark BG.
Very good colours too.

Hil

Hello Emma,

Most wonderful cloe-up shot of this lovely Barn Owl.
Technically flawless with outstanding sharpness, DOF and exposure.
Very beatiful feather details, wich is'nt easy with all those whites, and brown color tones in the feathers of the bird.
The owl does stand out greatly against the darker BG.
Excellent work and great note. TFS!!!

Best wishes, Harry

Hello Emma,
Very beautiful Barn Owl with a great pose of it!
perfect exposure and focus in great sharpness, good colour and details
many thanks for the sharing
best wishes to you
Tony

Witaj Emma,
* excellent sharpness
* beautiful colors and contrast
* good depth of field and very nice details
* good point of view
E x q u i s i t e
Pozdrawiam - Roma

Hello Emma. This is very nicely close on the owl. Pristine sharpness and puffy white details in perfectly exposed plumage. Thanks for sharing and well done. Jusni

  • Great 
  • hester Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1515 W: 18 N: 3165] (11638)
  • [2008-04-26 12:35]

Hi Emma

Lovely shot, beautifully composed, pin sharp and good exposure.

TFS

Karan

Hello Emma,
A beautiful animal, this Barn owl.
Well PP'ed as well.
Thanks for sharing photo and note.
Annick

Dear friend, Emma

I found in your impressive portfolio this exciting photo of a Barn Owl.

I am delighted to be able to view this perfect portrait! At last I know exactly, what my "enemy" looks like in detail:

After moving to the farm (where I stayed alone for three months), I found I could not shut the upper windows of the double storey lounge.

At night I was quite nervous, and when I heard noises from the the lounge - I was sure - the stories I had heard about the "bush" had caught up with me. With a revolver I crept around the house and finally found in the lounge - when droppings fell on my head - a barn owl sitting on a ceiling fan...

The details of the beautiful face are stunning - which I did not realise in the light of the torch - as the animal was 5 m above my head...

The feathers look all fluffy (like eiderdown), and the "poppy seeds " are really interesting. How different is your photo from the images in the Bird Guide book!

I wish you a nice evening and a good week ahead
Take care,
Love
Ingrid

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