Views
3052
Likes
Awards
Contest Finalist in Wings in Motion Photo Contest
Member Selection Award
Featured
Contest Finalist in On The Wild Side Photo Contest
Peer Award
Magnificent Capture
Superb Composition
Absolute Masterpiece
Top Choice
Outstanding Creativity
Superior Skill
Genius
All Star
Virtuoso
Top Ranks
Categories
andrewstuder
May 16, 2017
Ah man, so cool! Shots like these make me want to get into wildlife photography. Those eyes are insane!
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Discover more photos See all
Behind The Lens
Location
This image of Stanley the Barking Owl was taken in a paddock at the Full Flight Birds of Prey Centre in regional Victoria.Time
I would like to say it was taken early morning or late afternoon but it was taken fairly close to midday.Lighting
Although the image wasn't taken at the ideal time of day, it was taken in mid Autumn and there was sufficient cloud cover to act as a diffuser, filtering the light and preventing harsh shadows.Equipment
This image was taken, hand held, with the new Canon 1Dx Mark II and a 400 f4 DO Mark II lens. No other equipment was used.Inspiration
I enjoy the challenge of taking images of birds in flight and the opportunity to shoot at that location presented itself. The background is ideal at that time of year with the greens and autumnal colours coming through after a very dry summer...and those eyes just really stood out from the background and really drew me in.Editing
The RAW image required minimal post processing with just small clarity and vibrance adjustments and a minor crop to improve the general compositionIn my camera bag
My kit varies depending my shooting plan for the day but my favourite combination in general is the Canon 5D Mark III with 16-35 f4. If I'm shooting music, the 50 f1.8 and 70-200 f2.8 get added to the kit along with a second body but if I'm doing a car show I would add a 24-105 lens and a couple of speedlights, while for landscapes the tripod, nd filters get added.Feedback
If you can't get to a location to take bird images in the wild, try to find a zoo or a wildlife park that has a flight program. When shooting birds in flight, remember to adjust your shutter for the speed of the bird ie for larger slower birds like Wedge-tailed Eagles the shutter speed will be around 1/1500th while for smaller faster birds the shutter will be about 1/2500th.