In for a Landing-Barred Owl


Posted by AlexC on Thu Aug 21, 2003 5:56 pm

All times are UTC-05:00

Reply to topic  
 First unread post  | 24 posts | 
Image


Barred Owl (wild)

With the express purpose in photographing her, she must be moved around for the best vantage point from which to shoot her approach and landing, Before she is lured to a new spot, all the equipment must be ready before hand, slave flashes positioned accordingly, focus manually obtained, proper f/stop to match the manually set flash output (Via Sekonic flash meter) then while holding the remote cable release you say a little prayer and hope like hell that your finger will press the shutter at the exact time you intended!!, Frustrating ?, yes, But awfully rewarding when you get it right!!
Here she is focused on the landing spot, talons at the ready , they will open at the last second before touchdown!!!
D1x, Raw format, Lens= 70-200 mm afs-VR,FL=175mm, Manual exposure mode, 1/500sec-f/4, EV-1/3, ISO=200, WB=Auto, Main flash in high speed mode [FP], Slaves fired via Wein slave triggers.
Any and all comments welcome !!!
[b]Alex Calzadilla[/b]
[b]Miami, Florida[/b]
[b]NSN-0024[/b]
"At the feast of ego everyone leaves hungry." - Bentley's House of Coffee and Tea, Tucson, AZ

User avatar
Posted by:
AlexC
Forum Contributor
Member #:00024
Posts: 5948
Joined: 17 Aug 2003

   

by Larsen on Thu Aug 21, 2003 6:02 pm
User avatar
Larsen
Forum Contributor
Posts: 1606
Joined: 20 Aug 2003
Location: Vermont
Alex, you nailed it! Joe McDonald has made a lot of similar images using IR traps and an EOS-1RS. Your way is a bit cheaper and it worked!
 

by Juli Wilcox on Thu Aug 21, 2003 6:46 pm
User avatar
Juli Wilcox
Editor in Chief
Posts: 3373
Joined: 17 Aug 2003
Location: Upper Great Plains
Member #:00010
Hey! I know this bird! Great catch, Alex. This whole series is amazing to me and very well executed for the conditions (nighttime in a muggy swampish environment). The behavioral aspects are interesting---the bird's focus and reach are so precise. 8)
[b]Juli Wilcox[/b]
[b]Former Editor in Chief, NSN[/b]
 

by E.J. Peiker on Thu Aug 21, 2003 7:04 pm
User avatar
E.J. Peiker
Senior Technical Editor
Posts: 86761
Joined: 16 Aug 2003
Location: Arizona
Member #:00002
Perfect flash technique and a magnificent bird!
 

by Anthony Medici on Thu Aug 21, 2003 7:19 pm
User avatar
Anthony Medici
Lifetime Member
Posts: 6879
Joined: 17 Aug 2003
Location: Champions Gate, FL
Member #:00012
Incredible. :shock: I think the level of work you had to do paid off nicely here.
Tony
 

by tcgoetz on Thu Aug 21, 2003 7:37 pm
User avatar
tcgoetz
Forum Contributor
Posts: 302
Joined: 21 Aug 2003
Location: Hopkinton, MA, USA
Great shot. I really like the action. The curve of the wings and that you got it so close to landing.
[url=http://photography.tom-goetz.org]Tom Goetz[/url]
 

by Laura Stiefel on Thu Aug 21, 2003 7:46 pm
User avatar
Laura Stiefel
Lifetime Member
Posts: 4184
Joined: 20 Aug 2003
Location: Northwest, Ohio
Member #:00229
I'm a sucker for owl shots. Love this Alex! :D
Laura Stiefel
[b]NSN 0229[/b]
 

by Heather Forcier on Thu Aug 21, 2003 7:50 pm
User avatar
Heather Forcier
Site Co-Founder
Posts: 8188
Joined: 17 Aug 2003
Location: Vermont
Member #:00003
Beautiful, love the shot! Very much worth the effort. :)
[b]NatureScapes.Net Site Co-Founder
[url=http://www.hforcier.com/][u]Website[/u][/url] | [url=http://www.500px.com/heatherforcier/photos][u]500px Gallery[/u][/url] | [url=https://plus.google.com/117191412635501853092/][u]Google+[/u][/url][/b]
 

by Sandy Mossberg on Thu Aug 21, 2003 7:56 pm
User avatar
Sandy Mossberg
Lifetime Member
Posts: 5802
Joined: 17 Aug 2003
Location: Boynton Beach, FL USA
No need to tell you I love this, Alex. You already know. At one session, I almost screwed all of it up for you.
Sandy Mossberg
Boynton Beach, Florida, USA
[url=http://www.sandymossberg.com][b]SandyMossberg.com[/b][/url]
NSN 0015
 

by Jill on Thu Aug 21, 2003 8:01 pm
User avatar
Jill
Forum Contributor
Posts: 2978
Joined: 17 Aug 2003
Location: Miami FL
WOW, Alex. This looks to be a Perfect Landing! Great detail, comp and lighting; not to mention impeccable timing!! Glorious image for sure!!!
Jill Rosenfield
 

by LHays on Thu Aug 21, 2003 9:59 pm
User avatar
LHays
Lifetime Member
Posts: 12363
Joined: 17 Aug 2003
Location: Northern Kentucky
Member #:00040
Alex
I don't remember seeing this one. It's incredible. Perfect timing, exposure, detail and action. Geez......I guess this is just another perfect shot. Just amazing all that goes into this type of image. A real winner here.
Lana Hays
NSN 0040
[url]http://www.lanahays.com/[/url]
 

by Alan Melle on Fri Aug 22, 2003 9:55 am
User avatar
Alan Melle
Lifetime Member
Posts: 8438
Joined: 21 Aug 2003
Location: A windy valley in central Arizona
Member #:00041
Beautiful! Well done with a perfectly exposed bird. This is so good I feel bad about asking if you have any shots like this showing the whole wing. I'd be delighted to have this in my files!
Alan Melle
NSN0041
 

by AlexC on Fri Aug 22, 2003 9:57 am
User avatar
AlexC
Forum Contributor
Posts: 5948
Joined: 17 Aug 2003
Member #:00024
Alan wrote:
This is so good I feel bad about asking if you have any shots like this showing the whole wing
I do, and you will see them later on!!!
Thanks for looking !!!
[b]Alex Calzadilla[/b]
[b]Miami, Florida[/b]
[b]NSN-0024[/b]
"At the feast of ego everyone leaves hungry." - Bentley's House of Coffee and Tea, Tucson, AZ
 

by Dennis Olivero on Fri Aug 22, 2003 10:38 am
User avatar
Dennis Olivero
Lifetime Member
Posts: 7342
Joined: 18 Aug 2003
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
Member #:00020
Magnificent action, full wingspread, eyes focused intensely on the perch.. I really like this..
[b]Dennis Olivero[/b]
[url=http://www.northernlightnaturephotography.com][b]Northern Light Nature Photography[/b][/url]
NSN 20
 

by Rich S on Fri Aug 22, 2003 11:13 am
User avatar
Rich S
Lifetime Member
Posts: 3833
Joined: 20 Aug 2003
Location: NH & MI
Member #:00019
I wish you had the whole wing; I wish you didn't have the shadow of the branch; but what I really wish is that it was my shot! :mrgreen: Wonderful timing and tremendous detail.

How much light is available for you to judge the owl's location before the flash goes off?

Rich
 

by matt kuchta on Fri Aug 22, 2003 12:25 pm
User avatar
matt kuchta
Forum Contributor
Posts: 1329
Joined: 21 Aug 2003
Location: Western Wisconsin
Very well executed. Love the catch in bothe eyes, and the focus on the landing.
-matt
NSN 0017
 

by AlexC on Fri Aug 22, 2003 12:36 pm
User avatar
AlexC
Forum Contributor
Posts: 5948
Joined: 17 Aug 2003
Member #:00024
Rich S wrote:
How much light is available for you to judge the owl's location before the flash goes off?
Rich, there is enough light to see the Owl coming, it is not pitch dark per say, but AF is marginal at best and most times impossible, this can give you an idea of the light available, pre-focusing is a must, release cable is also a must since the viewfinder is useless in this instance!!, The flight of the Owl is utterly silent, not a sound, so you must keep an eye on her all the time!!!, Hope this helps!!
[b]Alex Calzadilla[/b]
[b]Miami, Florida[/b]
[b]NSN-0024[/b]
"At the feast of ego everyone leaves hungry." - Bentley's House of Coffee and Tea, Tucson, AZ
 

by Paula G on Fri Aug 22, 2003 4:52 pm
Paula G
Forum Contributor
Posts: 112
Joined: 21 Aug 2003
Location: Devon, UK
In Awe I am. Dumbstruck.
It is just superb.
Shame about cutting off a bit of wing.
What a magnificent bird.
Well done indeed
Paula Graham
http://www.wildlifeforever.net
 

by Jim Urbach on Fri Aug 22, 2003 4:59 pm
User avatar
Jim Urbach
Lifetime Member
Posts: 29711
Joined: 21 Aug 2003
Location: Sanford, Florida
Member #:00049
Alex,

Awesome capture. A technique I have never attempted. Glad you got some with the whole wing.

Jim
Enjoy viewing

Jim Urbach

http://www.jimurbach.smugmug.com


http://jimurbach.smugmug.com
 

by Carol Clarke on Fri Aug 22, 2003 5:46 pm
User avatar
Carol Clarke
Chief Forum Administrator
Posts: 73064
Joined: 22 Aug 2003
Location: Lincolnshire, UK. In tune with Nature.
Member #:00067
Great shot Alex!

Very nice action and what concentration in the face of the Owl!

:D
Carol Clarke
Chief Forum Administrator.


"When the power of love is greater than the love of power,
the world will know peace"....Jimi Hendrix.

NSN0067
 

Display posts from previous:  Sort by:  
24 posts | 

Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group