Dr Isaac Vaisman, APSA, PPSA
August 2026 - Great Horn Owlets
Original
About the Image(s)
A few years back a group of friend photographer heard about these owlets in Central Florida, so we drove up there and we were lucky to find them. They were sitting up in a tree and with the Spanish moss around them, it looked like they were posing for us. It was very dark under the tree canopy so we used fill flash (some purist would have complained about this).
The image was created using the Nikon D3s with the Nikkor prime lens 500 mm f/4 + 1.7x TC fro a total of 850 mm and with these settings: ISO 1100, f/6.7 and 1/350 sec.
As a bonus (original) we have mama owl watching the kids from the next tall tree.
The image was PP in Lightroom and cropped.
3 comments posted
Isaac, I really like the detail in the young outlets. As I spend more time in Florida I'm always amazed at the differences between the young and the mature birds of each species. Thanks for sharing this one with me.
The outlets are sharp and well enough lit with that full flash. The picture is complete with a soft background.
Hope you and your family are doing well. Posted: 08/03/2026 23:41:15
The outlets are sharp and well enough lit with that full flash. The picture is complete with a soft background.
Hope you and your family are doing well. Posted: 08/03/2026 23:41:15
I really like the Owlets coloration, I don't believe the feather color could have been achieved without fill-flash. The Spanish moss and suttle background provides a strong image. Posted: 08/04/2026 01:25:53
Great shot, Isaac. Fill flash doesn't worry me. I like the owlet on the left. It has spotted you and fixed you with a rather unfriendly look! Excellent detail and a good out of focus background. Posted: 08/08/2026 15:52:27