Jose Cartas
October 2026 - Great Horned Owl
About the Image(s)
I took this photo last June in the Capilano Suspension Bridge Park, in Vancouver. Beyond the main attraction (the suspension bridge), the park also hosts (among others) a facility where visitors can watch birds of prey held by their handlers. When we were there, we saw this owl and a gyrfalcon. Taking the shot was relatively easy, since the bird was very calm and almost not moving. The main issue was removing the distracting background, including the handler's arm, which I did through cropping and cloning. Technical specifications: 220mm. lens, 1/180 sec. at f/8.0, ISO 1600, handheld. Due to the high ISO, I also did some noise reduction in LR.
1 comment posted
Hi Jose, what a piercing gaze! I think that this is an impressive portrait of a grand bird. I really like the slightly soft way you show her plumage so that the colors and patterns are in the main role instead of sharp individual feathers. I think that this directs attention to those magnificent eyes. And the background turned out beautifully. Posted: 10/10/2026 07:51:42