Portrait Of A Snowy Owl

[StudioHeraBell]

Shot with Lumix G1 edited in PS Cs4.

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

To read the story behind this shot you can visit today's Blog post .

My Photo Ramblings: Portrait Of A Snowy Owl


Cheers,

Hera

 

[StudioHeraBell]

Not one single comment or critique? WOW! Am I scaring you all? :smile:

 

[Hikari]

It looks like a picture of a stuffed owl with clouds added with photoshop. The image is soft and so is lacking pop. The eyes are very dead--a low-power fill light would have helped here. I find the composition awkward with the owl seemingly jammed into the bottom right corner--I suspect to hide something. I like you portraits of live people much better.

 

[QualityBuiltIn]

fishing for compliments

It looks like a picture of a stuffed owl with clouds added with photoshop. The image is soft and so is lacking pop. The eyes are very dead--a low-power fill light would have helped here. I find the composition awkward with the owl seemingly jammed into the bottom right corner--I suspect to hide something. I like you portraits of live people much better.

I'll second that.
This site is frequented mainly by enthusiastic amateurs and it seems to be a very positive place with people supporting and encouraging each other.

On the other hand, you seem to be a 'professional' here for an ego boost and self promotion. Like a high school kid playing in the kiddie's pool...

 

[Wasabi Bob]

Try in in B&W

Nice shot, no very nice shot - though I think this is one shot that B&W would say more. Just my two cents. Wish I had owl's here in NJ - they are very fascinating.

 

[StudioHeraBell]

If my posts bother the membership here in general, I'll stop posting them. I have no problem with it.

I welcome all types of critiques, sometimes it even helps me. I like to share my work and see the reaction. We all do at the end of the day. Pro or no pro.

From now on if anyone who would like to copmmunicate with me can do so otherwise. I'll refrain posting my images. It seems like it is creating a bit of issue among some members.

All the best to the friends I made here.

Cheers,

Hera

I'll second that.
This site is frequented mainly by enthusiastic amateurs and it seems to be a very positive place with people supporting and encouraging each other.

On the other hand, you seem to be a 'professional' here for an ego boost and self promotion. Like a high school kid playing in the kiddie's pool...

 

[Streetshooter]

Knock..Knock....
Enter the Sheriff!

Hera, I have never received a PM, email, phone call or any other communication from any member of this forum or any other forum about you or your work or post.
So, please....drink some Green Tea, relax and just breathe....and continue to post. You are a member here like anyone else.

Gentleman..... I have been following this thread and even though I suggested leaving the thread in tact, I feel that above all on this forum...

Absolute Respect for each and every member is mandatory. If you don't like someone or something, take it off the open forum.
I will be glad to mediate any issues at any time.

Please be civil with one another. We all do different things in different ways. That's what makes this place so diversified. If this was like any other forum, you would be painting the bathroom because you'd be bored....

Thanks everyone...... Please breathe....

If you have any issues with me, please email or pm at any time....
Shooter

 

[walt_tbay]

OUCH!

I'd like to say I totally agree with Streetshooter, except instead of green tea I'd like to recommend a nice glass of red wine (may I recommend the 2009 Two Hands Angel's Share Shiraz that I'm sipping on right now?).

My favourite thing about this forum is looking at the photos that the different members post. I hope to get ideas and inspiration. Posting is a risky business because it certainly opens the poster up to criticism, which is why I almost always leave a "Thanks" for that person.

While I'm not entirely sure, I suspect there are a few members on this site who are pros (if they aren't, they should be :smile: ). I think its cool that they participate and I hope to learn from them.

Hera, all I can say is that I look forward to seeing more of your image posts.

Cheers!

 

[Warren T.]

Hera,

I love your posts and I understand why you share your pictures with us. One person does not speak for the entire forum membership, so please don't stop posting pictures here. I have not had a chance to mention this to you before, but I am constantly amazed by the quality of the images (clarity, crispness, and overall "look") that you are able to pull out of the G1. I've been meaning to ask you how you do it, because I also own a G1 and I'm not quite there yet. It's an interesting challenge for me.

As far as your snowy owl picture, I have a question for you: Is the image that you posted in this thread the same image as the one on your blog? I ask because you lost some IQ when you posted it here. On your blog version, the colors are better, there is more shadow detail, and the owl's eyes have highlights.

IMO, the composition is okay, I don't have a problem with it. The bit of blown highlight around the owl's left eye was a bit disconcerting for me though.

Regards,

Warren

If my posts bother the membership here in general, I'll stop posting them. I have no problem with it.

I welcome all types of critiques, sometimes it even helps me. I like to share my work and see the reaction. We all do at the end of the day. Pro or no pro.

From now on if anyone who would like to copmmunicate with me can do so otherwise. I'll refrain posting my images. It seems like it is creating a bit of issue among some members.

All the best to the friends I made here.

Cheers,

Hera

 

[Alanroseman]

I'm with shooter, but I do want some wine....

I enjoy all the image posts on this board, all of em...

 

[StudioHeraBell]

Warren, and everyone, thank you for posting your critiques and comments on this bird shot.

I shared this initial shot at few other Forums. Sharpness was an issue everyone agreed with. Otherwise the rest of the shot did not bother them. I truly wanted to hear the same honest comments from Forum members here as well. If I ask opinions, I want honest answers, it means I don't personally think the shot is a top WOW shot.

I tried to rectify the problem and added the heighlights to the eyes at my Blog post related to the bird.

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

I also mentioned at the Blog that it isn't one of my best PS jobs. I hide nothing. The original out of the camera (g1) file is above.

As image makers when we sahre our images with others we are hooping for a certain audience who will express their opinions. Good or bad.

One should hope for honesty from their friends, but we hope also that we do not get personal attacks.

Cheers,

Hera

 

[grebeman]

Thank you for posting the "true" image of the Snowy Owl. It was always likely that this was a captive bird and this shows it in it's true surroundings, rather than the ideal surroundings of a rock in the tundra with a distant cloudscape. I appreciate that the background for this second shot is some way from being photogenic, but it does represent reality for this particular individual.
Given that it is heavily barred I would suggest that it is a first year female bird. The iris colour of a great many birds changes with age, and indeed some can be aged by this criterion. Very young Snowy Owls have variable iris colour ranging from bluish white, pale grey, yellow grey or greenish yellow, but by this age the eye would normally be brighter and range from lemon yellow through golden yellow to orange yellow. This one shows a strong tendency to be orange and I'm left wondering if it's captive state and diet have some bearing on it's distinctly dull iris colour.

 

[dbuckle]

Beautiful bird. My son had one of these stay around his farm for a week last year. There is a recovery org. around here and it was likely released from there. I didn't manage to get as good of a photo as you did.

 

[JudyM]

Hi Hera,

I have to agree with grebeman, I like the original image far better. I just find it far more appealing to see nature's creatures photographed in natural settings. The "glamour" background really doesn't do the bird justice here. Maybe it's me, but it even makes the bird appear a little out of place, because it's obviously sitting still, yet seems to be floating in air without its wings outstretched. Stunning bird though, and great detail in the shot. Look at those massive talons!

Regards,
Judy

 

[bilzmale]

Hope you are sticking around Hera. I don't particularly like the first shot for reasons that have been well outlined. The "Studio" treatment just looked wrong but all power to you for trying something different to the rest of us.

 

[akulya]

Thanks for sharing your images here Hera,
It is great to see the work from all varieties of photographers on this site, from beginner through amateur to professional - showing each other what our little camera are capable of.

Your approcah is quite unique amongst us, spending a great deal more time than many in post production - and producing very smart images. I have certainly learnt from you.

Thanks for being part of this site, and I hope that you continue to be.

 

[QualityBuiltIn]

If my posts bother the membership here in general, I'll stop posting them. I have no problem with it.

I welcome all types of critiques, sometimes it even helps me. I like to share my work and see the reaction. We all do at the end of the day. Pro or no pro.

From now on if anyone who would like to copmmunicate with me can do so otherwise. I'll refrain posting my images. It seems like it is creating a bit of issue among some members.

All the best to the friends I made here.

Cheers,

Hera

Please accept my sincere apologies. My response to your post, "Not one single comment or critique? WOW! Am I scaring you all?" was way over the top, far too pointed and far too personal.

I was out of line. I'm sorry and you won't hear anything like that from me again.

I'm sorry for the offense I must have caused you.

Best wishes,

Bob

 

[StudioHeraBell]

Thank you Bob for your sincere appologies. I truly appriciate them.

Have a wonderful day.

PS: We are all here sharing our images because we are passionate about photography. That's what gathers us here day and day out. I am happy that several of you confirmed my worries on the post prosessing on this shot. I like honesty as I am honest and don't hide if a shot has been collaged.

The reason I add the link to my Blog, if anyone wants to see the story behind it can go on their own time and read it. I add only shots created from my Lumix here at the Forum, not every Blog post image is shot with my Lumix, therfor it does not appear here.

If the members prefere me not to add my Blog post link related to the shot, let me know, I will not.

However I will not post the entire Blog text every time I post here. Some of my Blog comments might not be an interest to certain members here.

Please, just let me know eigther way.

I still learn from others and get inspired by other photographers day and day out. That how we can evolve and have fun at the same time when we persue our passion.

I also make tones of English mistakes when I write. I have no problem accepting corrections.

Cheers,

Hera

Please accept my sincere apologies. My response to your post, "Not one single comment or critique? WOW! Am I scaring you all?" was way over the top, far too pointed and far too personal.

I was out of line. I'm sorry and you won't hear anything like that from me again.

I'm sorry for the offense I must have caused you.

Best wishes,

Bob

 

[Luckypenguin]

Thankfully we have so many different styles of phototgraphy represented on this forum otherwise it might get a bit boring around here. It's nice to see forum members using their m4/3 cameras in all manner of different ways. We're on the same team after all.

 

[BBW]

StudioHeraBell, as both you and Nic have said - and as it has been reiterated throughout the forum - we're all here together for our enjoyment, to share and to learn. I know we're also here to read about the latest gear, too.

There is no need for you or anyone else to ask any members for permission to post images or links because we have it all spelled out quite clearly in the Site's rules right here.

So let's get back to taking and making photographs!