![\"\"](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/short-eared-owl-3532b-ron-dudley.jpg\" "\\"short-eared-owl-3532b-ron-dudley\\"")
<\/p>\nIn the past I’ve discussed the many reasons why I prefer to photograph birds of any species\u00a0in the few hours after sunrise so I won’t repeat myself here. But yesterday morning I was reminded\u00a0of yet another reason that applies specifically to owls.<\/p>\n
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1\/5000, f\/6.3, ISO 500, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/p>\n I’m not fond of this photo at all so I’m sure I’ll delete it,\u00a0along with all of the others I took of\u00a0this Short-eared Owl yesterday morning. It was taken at 9:12 AM\u00a0and this time of year the sun’s already so high in the sky at that time of day that the light is beginning to get quite harsh and much of the underside of the owl is\u00a0in shade\u00a0(in this case partial sidelight also contributes to the shadows on the body).<\/p>\n But the main reason I don’t like the shot is the partially shaded eyes. About 2\/3 of the\u00a0right eye is in shade as is almost half of the\u00a0left one.\u00a0Owls have spectacular eyes that are disproportionately large for the size of the bird and\u00a0in many species they’re brightly colored\u00a0so to many owl-lovers their eyes are one of their most\u00a0striking features\u00a0and to have them in partial or complete shade\u00a0significantly diminishes their appeal.<\/p>\n If this had been almost any other bird in this lighting situation\u00a0its eyes\u00a0would probably have good light on them but the eyes of owls are deeply set into their face and skull so unless they have almost direct light on them\u00a0they’re usually partially or completely shaded.\u00a0And\u00a0getting that light\u00a0typically means photographing them with the sun low in the sky.<\/p>\n Late afternoon works about as well as early morning but I’m a morning kind’a guy.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n 1\/4000, f\/6.3, ISO 500, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/p>\n Even when the owl took off its eye was more than half shaded, just as it was in the several flight shots I got after it launched (in case you’re wondering, yes I clipped\u00a0its wings in most of them).<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n 1\/2500, f\/6.3, ISO 500, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/p>\n But I took this photo of another owl in the same area 2 1\/2 hours earlier at 6:40 on the same morning. The sun is so low in the sky behind me that there’s good light on the entirety of both eyes\u00a0so one of the most appealing features of owls, their spectacular eyes,\u00a0is shown at its best. In addition, that time of morning the light is soft and warm\u00a0and much more pleasant to our sensibilities.<\/p>\n With the sun at that angle I even have good light and detail\u00a0on the feathers\u00a0beneath the tail and rump. Later in the morning that\u00a0part of the bird would have been a photon-sucking area of deep shade lacking any detail at all.<\/p>\n This same principle of photographing owls with the sun low in the sky so we can get good light on their eyes also applies to most other raptors but for a slightly different reason. The eyes of most hawks, falcons and eagles have a heavy brow ridge over the top of them that prevents light from reaching their eyes when the sun is high overhead.<\/p>\n Early mornings rock for bird photography!<\/p>\n Ron<\/p>\n PS – Apologies for posting so late this morning. I actually slept in until 4:30 because the forecast was for rain (I’m hearing thunder as I type this) so I knew I wouldn’t be going shooting this morning. I felt guilty about it but it sure felt good after getting so little sleep lately.<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" In the past I’ve discussed the many reasons why I prefer to photograph birds of any species in the few hours after sunrise so I won’t repeat myself here. But yesterday morning I was reminded of yet another reason that applies specifically to owls.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/short-eared-owl-3558-ron-dudley.jpg\" "\\"short-eared-owl-3558-ron-dudley\\"")
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