Tawny Frogmouth Outside My Bathroom Window

Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM

02/01/2011 03:58:53 PM · #1

I am not sure if this is the correct Forum but I have 2 tawny frogmouth owls sleeping on a tree outside my bathroom window and I was trying to take some photos but the quality is a problem. The issues are:
- the bathroom is on the first floor (the owls are at reasonable height from the ground)
- the bathroom has double glazing
- the window that opens has mesh fly screen that I cannot remove (installed from outside - not a clever design)
- there is always a breeze and the owls sway with it
- there is always shade and there is busy background

The best results so far:

The first one is through the mesh screen. I spent a lot of time on PP but the result is still poor (mesh would be great to hide wrinkles if the owl had them!) The second is from the ground up with AV+3 against very bright background.

Any advice on how to get a better result with all above constraints in mind?

SteveJ

Canon EOS-7D

02/01/2011 04:06:13 PM · #2

I see perfectly acceptable shots. Given the restraints imposed by mesh, height etc, both are pretty good wildlife shots. Remember, unlike studio photos, wildlife just happens and if you miss the chance, its gone for ever. Anyone taking wildlife shots always wishes for perfect conditions, but they rarely happen, so just go with what you get at the time.

Keep going:)

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 17-35mm f/2.8D IF-ED

02/01/2011 04:14:39 PM · #3

You can easily get from what you showed us to here:

Just by opening the JPG in Adobe Camera Raw and playing with the sliders. And if that can be accomplished off of your already-tweaked, small example, it can be done a LOT better from the original. Show us the original?

R.

tanguera

Nikon D750

02/01/2011 04:15:37 PM · #4

Oh those are great! How cool having owls right outside your window!!!

hihosilver

Nikon D200

Nikon AF-S Zoom-Nikkor 28-70mm f/2.8D IF-ED

02/01/2011 04:23:07 PM · #5

What cool birds! Nothing so exciting lives outside my bathroom window!

I googled them to learn more about them. I don't think they are actually owls...

Tawny Frogmouth

How lucky you are to photograph these quirky birds!

Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS

02/01/2011 04:32:03 PM · #6

Originally posted by tanguera:

Oh those are great! How cool having owls right outside your window!!!

I was lucky to spot them! I know they live in the area but never saw one in daytime like that. I spent many hours yesterday watching them. They are quite restless, wake up often and move around. Occasionally have a snack of worm or something.

vawendy

Sony Alpha 1

02/01/2011 04:33:26 PM · #7

It's probably very lucky that they're not at my house. If I had something that cool, I'd probably cut out the mesh to get the shot. :)

Awesome!!! I'm incredibly jealous.

02/01/2011 04:33:26 PM · #8

Originally posted by Bear_Music:

Show us the original?

R.

I tried to upload RAW fiule to DPC but it won't let me. I will upload to my own site and paste a link shortly. It is 23Mb.

02/01/2011 04:34:14 PM · #9

Originally posted by hihosilver:

Good link! I should learn more about them since they are native to our area.

02/01/2011 04:34:46 PM · #10

Originally posted by marnet:

Originally posted by Bear_Music:
Show us the original?

R.
I tried to upload RAW fiule to DPC but it won't let me. I will upload to my own site and paste a link shortly. It is 23Mb.

That will be great. Or you can save as a full-size, uncompressed JPG and post that in your workshop, and we can download that. It will probably be sufficient.

R.

02/01/2011 04:35:04 PM · #11

Originally posted by vawendy:

It's probably very lucky that they're not at my house. If I had something that cool, I'd probably cut out the mesh to get the shot. :)

Awesome!!! I'm incredibly jealous.

I tried - my husband wouldn't let me! :)

Sigma 30mm f/1.4 EX DC HSM for Canon

02/01/2011 04:59:52 PM · #12

Originally posted by Bear_Music:

That will be great. Or you can save as a full-size, uncompressed JPG and post that in your workshop, and we can download that. It will probably be sufficient.

R.

Done

Thanks!

Ductyl

Canon EOS-550D Rebel T2i

02/01/2011 05:24:41 PM · #13

See if you can get them to drink some milk and enter it into the Got Milk Portrait challenge. ;)

- Justin

02/01/2011 05:40:21 PM · #14

Originally posted by Ductyl:

See if you can get them to drink some milk and enter it into the Got Milk Portrait challenge. ;)

- Justin

:))) I think they prefer meaty insects.

02/01/2011 05:41:07 PM · #15

Originally posted by marnet:

Originally posted by Ductyl:
See if you can get them to drink some milk and enter it into the Got Milk Portrait challenge. ;)

- Justin
:))) I think they prefer meaty insects.

Put some grubs in a bowl with some clotted cream...

R.

nickyb

Apple iPhone 16 Pro

Sony 50mm f/1.8 e mount

02/01/2011 05:42:22 PM · #16

awesome birds!

02/01/2011 05:53:44 PM · #17

It's a rough one to work with. Here's a quick stab at it:

That's Adobe Camera Raw and a little tone mapping from HDR Efex Pro.

R.