close iframe icon
approved icon Harmo avatar
Harmo
RaptorProcessed
Banner

RaptorProcessed



behind the lens badge

I'm not an ornithologist, so I'm not sure what this is... Could be an owl? Flying on cloudy day, good light on the face......
Read more

I'm not an ornithologist, so I'm not sure what this is... Could be an owl? Flying on cloudy day, good light on the face...
Read less
cameraCanon EOS 7D

settings Aperture f/7.1 ISO 1000 Shutter 1/800 

upload_dateJan, 2015

Views

3499

Likes

Awards

Chatter Award
Zenith Award
Legendary Award
Featured
Featured
Contest Finalist in One Is Enough Photo Contest
People's Choice in Flight Photo Challenge
People's Choice in birds of prey Photo Challenge
Contest Finalist in Two Wings Photo Contest
  View more
Top Choice
Eddieuuu071 bonitahawkins adrianavilapeat taylorathompson victordam ilenems1912 zameer +88
Peer Award
marcobertazzoni photoABSTRACTION Legion_GVS michaelrosling Structor sophiedv djalmaarmelin +86
Absolute Masterpiece
royaleccs karinpringsheim TaliaAiello manji_pal travisrisco siqq ambersrose +84
Superb Composition
jessrowens cristinatejedoroliveros hannahbphotographs RUTVIK26 honeydee erintayaowen zachbusby23 +77
Magnificent Capture
andrewpowell_0479 JayneBug CeloxPhoto Paul_Joslin talk2suemac erichladner gerardhildebrandt +38
Superior Skill
leckie45 MitchellWentzell shellyguffey carol_bradshaw_4069 Karoly_Rucska Woombaway beverleypohlner +30
Outstanding Creativity
Pelevinana turtleimagraphicz kristengatlin gabemurk_1163 Satheeshssk swarupnag willemnel_9113 +16
All Star
Bossy annrains JRPEAL SethrHarman1 keylord LucyCMorr StudioTjeerd +8
Genius
birder2 MrsLaLuce04 022223333223333333322

Emotions

Impressed
JayneBug leckie45 bclumberjack

Top Ranks

Anything Animals Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Anything Animals Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Change Of Seasons Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Change Of Seasons Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
The Wonders of the World Photo ContestTop 10 rank
View more
The Wonders of the World Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Everything Nature Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Everything Nature Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
The Talent AwardsTop 10 rank
Wildlife Photo Contest 2017Top 10 rank
Wildlife Photo Contest 2017Top 10 rank week 1
World Photography Day Photo ContestTop 10 rank
World Photography Day Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 2
World Photography Day Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Wings in Motion Photo ContestTop 10 rank
The Animal Kingdom Photo ContestTop 10 rank
We Love Animals Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Motion Blur Photo ContestTop 10 rank
We Love Animals Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Motion Blur Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Powerful Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Call Of The Wild Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Powerful Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 2
Call Of The Wild Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Powerful Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Eye To Eye Portraits Photo ContestTop 20 rank
Eye To Eye Portraits Photo ContestTop 20 rank week 2
Happening At The Zoo Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Happening At The Zoo Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Eye To Eye Portraits Photo ContestTop 20 rank week 1
The Animal Eye Photo ContestTop 10 rank
The Animal Eye Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 2
The Beauty Of Birds Photo ContestTop 10 rank
The Animal Eye Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
The Beauty Of Birds Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
My Best Shot Photo Contest Vol 1Top 10 rank
My Best Shot Photo Contest Vol 1Top 10 rank week 2
Compositions 101 Photo Contest vol2Top 20 rank
My Best Shot Photo Contest Vol 1Top 10 rank week 1
Compositions 101 Photo Contest vol2Top 20 rank week 2
Compositions 101 Photo Contest vol2Top 10 rank week 1
Evocative Wildlife Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Evocative Wildlife Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 3
Evocative Wildlife Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 2
Evocative Wildlife Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Celebrating Nature Photo Contest Vol 1Top 10 rank
Celebrating Nature Photo Contest Vol 1Top 10 rank week 2
Celebrating Nature Photo Contest Vol 1Top 10 rank week 1
Moving Subjects Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Moving Subjects Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 3
Moving Subjects Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 2
Moving Subjects Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Open Wings Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Open Wings Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 2
Open Wings Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Creative Composition Photo Contest Vol 2Top 30 rank week 2
Creative Composition Photo Contest Vol 2Top 30 rank week 1
One Is Enough Photo ContestTop 10 rank
One Is Enough Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Inspiring Shots Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Inspiring Shots Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 2
Layers and Composition Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Inspiring Shots Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
ViewBugs Best Nature Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Photographer Of The Month Photo Contest Vol 9Top 20 rank
ViewBugs Best Nature Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 2
Photographer Of The Month Photo Contest Vol 9Top 30 rank week 1
ViewBugs Best Nature Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Two Wings Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Two Wings Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 2
Two Wings Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Solo Animals Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Solo Animals Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 2
Solo Animals Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1

Categories

14 Comments |
SnowbunnyPhotography Platinum
 
SnowbunnyPhotography February 14, 2015
Uh....I vote owl! haha! The eyes and nose give it away. Awesome capture!
IsabellaD Premium
 
IsabellaD February 28, 2015
STUNNING capture, love light, focus, detail, voted in Two Wings !!
carlosramos
 
carlosramos March 04, 2015
Amazing capture, congratulations !
janland PRO+
 
janland March 10, 2015
Wonderful timing and capture! Congrats!
Wizzard PRO+
 
Wizzard March 15, 2015
Excellent shot! Congrats!
JeannieMatteson
 
JeannieMatteson March 21, 2015
Creative use of eye focus!
texaaronpueschel Platinum
 
texaaronpueschel April 04, 2015
I am possessed by the beauty of this entry.
Pblais
 
Pblais May 22, 2015
Crazy eyes!
Harmo
 
Harmo September 04, 2015
Thanks everyone for the supportive feedback!
sandytoes34287
 
sandytoes34287 January 03, 2016
Great shot!
Gromo3eka
 
Gromo3eka July 04, 2016
greate shot! it look more like a falcon or a hawk, then an owl )
Nick80D
 
Nick80D March 11, 2018
Beautiful!
ericvega
 
ericvega November 22, 2019
Absolutely beautiful!!!
Eddieuuu071 Platinum
 
Eddieuuu071 Feb 17
Thank you for submitting your wonderful photo to my “Raptors in Flight” Challenge! I have placed it in my Top 10 from which the winner will be chosen. Best of luck!

Submitted to Photo Contests

Tags

#bird #flight #prey #raptor
See all

Behind The Lens

Location

Near Sydney, NSW Australia

Time

About 3pm

Lighting

It was extremely difficult because I was in direct sunlight while the owl was under heavy shade. This turned out to be an advantage because it got some nice light on the Owls face, and made the eyes brighter.

Equipment

Canon 7D mk I and 400mm 5.6L lens.

Inspiration

I believe it went something along the lines of: "Oooh, ooh, ooh, that's an owl!".... I honestly didn't expect the shot to come out so well... with only a cursory glance, I thought wasn't great when I looked at the shot initially, and kept shooting.

Editing

Brightness was increased a little to deal with the shade, and cropped of some clutter in the background. A mild vignette was introduced to put attention on the owl.

In my camera bag

Spare batteries and memory cards! A cleaning cloth is also always there. My favourite lens is the 24-105 F4L by Canon for everyday use. It complements the 100-400 zoom by Canon fantastically for travel. For low light I use primes (50mm and 85mm 1.8 lenses). I have a 7D, and. 5D mk III. If you're running two DSLRs, the black rapid R strap is fantastic.(or Q strap for smaller folks/women) Ifor carrying two camera +lens combinations. Perhaps the most important gear in my bag is the essential supplies like water and appropriate attire.. You just can't go to where you need to without being prepared!

Feedback

While noise is often reduced with low ISO settings, doing so with birds in flight is likely to result in blurred and otherwise unusable images. It's better to get a noisy image than no image at all. Get your ISO up to at least 400, maybe even 1600, but this depends on your camera's noise handling and personal taste. Set your camera to continuous focus mode (AI Servo on Canon/AF-C on Nikon) I find it easier to run on one designated focus point, or a small cluster in the middle. This helps to stop the camera focusing on the background. Practice tracking moving objects (and panning) with long lenses... Start with big and slow subjects, and gradually work up to smaller, faster birds. Don't use a lens that is too heavy for you to hand hold and carry, or you won't get the shot. Shoot in burst/rapid fire mode. The quality of your memory card (particularly speed and size) can have a major impact on your success here. Research your subject, when do they come out? where do they live? Get an expert to guide and assist you. Having a strategy based on solid information, rather than luck will vastly improve your success rate. Keep practicing and thinking your shots right through from packing for your shoot, all the way to printing, and reviewing/tinkering after that. Most importantly, have fun and shoot something you think is interesting.

See more amazing photos, follow Harmo

User photo
It’s your time to shine! ☀️

Share photos. Enter contests to win great prizes.
Earn coins, get amazing rewards. Join for free.

Already a member? Log In

By continuing, you agree to our Terms of Service, and acknowledge you've read our Privacy Policy Notice.