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deannefortnam
Snowy Take Off
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Snowy Take Off



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upload_dateDec, 2016

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7281

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Dodoka Walt cara53 WolfEyesPhotography burtonff dennischeeseman kaam467 +935

Awards

Top Shot Award
Contest Finalist in Wildlife In The Snow Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in The Color White Photo Contest
People's Choice in Animals in Winter Photo Challenge
People's Choice in The magical mystical snowy owl Photo Challenge
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Peer Award
gregdorris davidianhiggins TheShadowCatcher Hood Rinosoft Steve_Thomas HJosey +389
Absolute Masterpiece
Irys Budgie49 michaelbeck_4973 elleloumanis Survivor Cotysplace MicktheGreek +88
Top Choice
Chick15 quincyfloyd myerscreativearts Maple-2103 mle555 carolcardillo GWorks +67
Magnificent Capture
alef0 terilbrisendine taffiedolson traceymcdonald Stellasview Dbkelly BtBates +57
Superb Composition
KevinGPhotography matej007 StefCarle edandaniphone EileenP snowdon JanHrischenko +57
Superior Skill
jdmarks64 TimberlineArts joestanley spicspics Bdubois jrcphotog leckie45 +11
All Star
ekaterinabogurdovich daveappleby TinaSuz jamesjohnston_3471 Kbird61 sunshynest8 johannesoehl +8
Outstanding Creativity
cohooper Rombe ivelinaivanova madiha_biz Bri1980 iangooch GELeka +6
Virtuoso
auxgen4 chuckmyer michaelfmoore
Genius
daydreamsbymary0710 gregorybell MargCraig katherineplessner

Emotions

Impressed
davedise CarolPatten Eye4U Pjerry patriciacottrell elkekuhrau cherylschofield_3048 +16
Happy
jbishop_6066

Top Ranks

Winter Colors Photo ContestTop 20 rank
My Best Shot Photo Contest by Elewana CollectionTop 20 rank
My Best Shot Photo Contest by Elewana CollectionTop 30 rank week 1
Bird Watching Photo ContestTop 20 rank
Bird Watching Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
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Wide Wings Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Wide Wings Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 2
The Creator Show ProjectTop 20 rank
The Creator Show ProjectTop 20 rank week 1
Majestic Species Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Majestic Species Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Winter Paradise Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Creative Boundaries Photo ContestTop 30 rank week 1
Capture The White Color Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Capture The White Color Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Inspired By The World Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Inspired By The World Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
A ViewBug Logo Photo ContestTop 20 rank
A ViewBug Logo Photo ContestTop 20 rank week 1
World Photography Day Photo Contest 2020Top 10 rank
Picture Owls Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Picture Owls Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Picturing Other Species Photo ContestTop 10 rank
My Winter Wonderland Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Early Signs Of Winter Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Early Signs Of Winter Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
photographyawards2019Top 10 rank
photographyawards2019Top 10 rank week 2
photographyawards2019Top 10 rank week 1
Winter Wildlife Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Winter Wildlife Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
We Love The Winter Photo ContestTop 10 rank
We Love The Winter Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Wildlife On The Move Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Wildlife On The Move Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Beautiful Owls Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Beautiful Owls Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Fill The Frame Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Color White Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Color White Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Animals In The Winter Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Animals In The Winter Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Only Owls Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Only Owls Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
ViewBug Photography AwardsTop 10 rank
ViewBug Photography AwardsTop 10 rank week 1
World Photography Day Photo ContestTop 10 rank
World Photography Day Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 2
World Photography Day Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Semitransparent Photo ContestTop 20 rank
Semitransparent Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Wildlife Portraits Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Wildlife Portraits Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Wildlife In The Snow Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Wildlife In The Snow Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Winter Wonderland Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Wings in Motion Photo ContestTop 10 rank
We Love Animals Photo ContestTop 10 rank
We Love Animals Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
It Is Cold Outside Photo ContestTop 10 rank
It Is Cold Outside Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Powerful Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Powerful Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 2
The Color White Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Powerful Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
The Color White Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Covers Photo Contest Vol 34Top 10 rank
Covers Photo Contest Vol 34Top 10 rank week 2
Covers Photo Contest Vol 34Top 10 rank week 1

Categories

33 Comments |
matej007
 
matej007 December 18, 2016
Wow
deannefortnam Platinum
deannefortnam December 18, 2016
Thanks!
JDLifeshots
 
JDLifeshots January 03, 2017
Amazing shot!
JBordons
 
JBordons January 09, 2017
Magnificent capture, especially under challenging conditions.
jamesjohnston_3471 Platinum
 
jamesjohnston_3471 January 21, 2017
Wonderful in-flight Snowy! Thank you so much for entering this in my challenge.
deannefortnam Platinum
deannefortnam January 28, 2017
Thanks very much, appreciated
Mishlyn
 
Mishlyn February 21, 2017
Congrats on your award! Beautiful capture!
deannefortnam Platinum
deannefortnam February 21, 2017
Thank you, appreciated!
eelcovanroden PRO+
 
eelcovanroden February 21, 2017
Congratulations on your great People's Choice Challenge Win!
deannefortnam Platinum
deannefortnam February 22, 2017
Thank you!
charlesedwardclarkjr Premium
 
charlesedwardclarkjr March 10, 2017
This is an amazing capture. WELL DONE
deannefortnam Platinum
deannefortnam March 10, 2017
Thank you so much!
davidsloan
 
davidsloan April 07, 2017
Amazing light and detail,a fabulous wildlife capture.
john_arsenault
 
john_arsenault April 08, 2017
perfect light perfect composition perfect capture by the photographer; a masterpiece.
Eddieuuu071 Platinum
 
Eddieuuu071 August 21, 2017
Perfect
kathyk_abq
 
kathyk_abq September 16, 2017
Awesome, Deanne! I'll bet you are looking forward to seeing them this winter!
deannefortnam Platinum
deannefortnam September 16, 2017
Thank you! Yes indeed, we never know from one year to the next whether or not they will come this far south
Alwolfe Platinum
 
Alwolfe September 17, 2017
Wonderful capture!
deannefortnam Platinum
deannefortnam September 18, 2017
Thanks very much
Snooky
 
Snooky November 26, 2017
Fantastic
deannefortnam Platinum
deannefortnam November 26, 2017
Thanks!
Byronfairphotography
 
Byronfairphotography December 20, 2017
Absolutely gorgeous / Voted
deannefortnam Platinum
deannefortnam December 21, 2017
Many thanks!
AHogue
 
AHogue December 23, 2017
WOW, white on white! How awesome is this!
deannefortnam Platinum
deannefortnam December 23, 2017
Thanks very much!
joannanicholson
 
joannanicholson March 04, 2018
Beautiful x
nancyb926
 
nancyb926 March 27, 2018
masterpiece!
margitulstrup
 
margitulstrup January 31, 2019
Wow Fantastic shot
deannefortnam Platinum
deannefortnam February 01, 2019
Thank you!
VLJ_PHOTOGRAPHY Platinum
 
VLJ_PHOTOGRAPHY February 08, 2019
Incredible capture. Congratulations!
mihrt
 
mihrt February 10, 2019
CONGRATS on your Top Shot Award for Feb. 2019 !!!
deannefortnam Platinum
deannefortnam February 11, 2019
Thanks so much! appreciated
gregorygendusa
 
gregorygendusa October 29, 2019
awesome photo.......cool!
deannefortnam Platinum
deannefortnam October 30, 2019
Thank you!
Eye4U
 
Eye4U February 13, 2020
Wow - this is an awesome shot!
deannefortnam Platinum
deannefortnam February 13, 2020
Thanks very much. appreciated!
Pjerry Platinum
 
Pjerry March 02, 2020
Ohhh Deanne, what an outstanding beautiful shot. It's a pity I ccan give you only one award.... You deserve all the awards.
deannefortnam Platinum
deannefortnam March 02, 2020
Thank you very much! I really appreciate your kind comments.
Jdean80 Platinum
 
Jdean80 July 29, 2020
Congratulations on your win, amazing image, love it!!
deannefortnam Platinum
deannefortnam July 29, 2020
Thanks very much!
Maadhatter Platinum
 
Maadhatter September 15, 2020
Incredible capture!! Well done.
deannefortnam Platinum
deannefortnam September 15, 2020
Thanks! appreciated
jbishop_6066
 
jbishop_6066 October 12, 2020
This should be an inspirational poster!
deannefortnam Platinum
deannefortnam October 14, 2020
Thanks very much!
MatthewMichaelPatrick Platinum
 
MatthewMichaelPatrick January 09, 2021
This is the most beautiful Snowy Owl I've ever seen!!! I love it
deannefortnam Platinum
deannefortnam January 11, 2021
Thanks very much!
terrymccollum
 
terrymccollum January 27, 2021
Awesome Photo!
deannefortnam Platinum
deannefortnam January 27, 2021
Thanks very much!
Eddieuuu071 Platinum
 
Eddieuuu071 January 31, 2021
So great! đź‘Ťđź‘Ś
deannefortnam Platinum
deannefortnam January 31, 2021
Thank you very much!
lizziemellis PRO+
 
lizziemellis September 19, 2021
Awesome shot your winter birds are always exceptional:-)
deannefortnam Platinum
deannefortnam March 01, 2022
Thanks very much!
JHT-Images Premium
 
JHT-Images February 28, 2022
Awestruck! Phenomenal capture! Brava!
deannefortnam Platinum
deannefortnam March 01, 2022
Thanks very much!
cornishdave Platinum
 
cornishdave Apr 02
A REALLY AN AMAZING SHOT
deannefortnam Platinum
deannefortnam Apr 02
Thank you very much!
DAsEye Platinum
 
DAsEye Apr 05
What a great shot
deannefortnam Platinum
deannefortnam Apr 06
Thank you very much! appreciated

Submitted to Photo Contests

Tags

#owl #snow #snowy owl #winter
See all

Behind The Lens

Location

I took this image at Salisbury State Reservation in Salisbury, MA. It was during a major irruption of Snowy Owls during the winter of 2014. There were five owls at Salisbury during that memorable winter. And I was a frequent visitor that entire winter.

Time

This was shot in late afternoon with the sun behind the bird. A very cold, very windy day. 14 degrees F as I recall.

Lighting

It was a difficult light situation with the sun low on the horizon behind the bird but you have to shoot the owls where and when they show up. I had the exposure setting as a center point on the bird and hoped for the best. It required some careful processing but the light glowing through the wings made it worth it. This is probably the best of my images from that winter

Equipment

This image was taken with a Canon 7D and Canon 500mm f/4 with a 1.4x mounted on a Gitzo tripod with a Wimberley gimbal head. I'm unable to hand hold my gear so in flight shots are a real challenge.

Inspiration

I've always loved owls of any kind but especially Snowy Owls. I really wanted to get a good quality Snowy shot for my portfolio so I spent that winter making many trips to the coast when the birds were present.

Editing

Yes, normally I do limited post processing with my bird photography but in this case the bird was underexposed and the snow overexposed. I processed the image for a good exposure on the bird then a second for the background and combined the two together.

In my camera bag

I travel with a Canon 7DII and a Canon 1Ds Mk III, a canon 24/105, Canon 100/400 II, Canon 600 f/4 II, Canon 100 Macro, heavy and light duty Gitzo tripods, ball head and a Wimberley Gimbal head for the large telephoto, a 1.4x and 2x extenders, flash, ring flash various filters.

Feedback

Any time you are looking for a specific species of bird it's really helpful to follow the local bird lists. They normally post sightings of unusual birds and where they can be found. Also, need to be persistent and patient. And above all, RESPECT the birds and their habitat. Do not approach a roosting owl too closely. They need their energy and don't need to be constantly flying from a roosting spot or chased off their prey. I did not go to the coast this year to photograph the Snowies because the one reliable bird has been hounded to death by unknowing and uncaring photographers. The bird was constantly chased off it's roosting spots and eventually it abandoned it's winter range

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