This was close to shooting in the dark. A thick swamp with an overhead canopy.
Below, a Barred Owl had dropped down on a Bull Frog in the water. While holding it’s prey the Owl looked around constantly for danger.
Best viewed large.
Most everything shot here has light and noise problems. ISO is too high and images are deleted.
I recently purchased Topaz Software AI Denoise. The update last week made this photograph possible. It appears if the photograph was taken with the proper light and focus Topaz can work.
What a beauty!
😀😀, stunning bird.
I was unaware that owls will capture prey in the water. I’ve seen them wet before and there is nothing much to them once the feathers get soaked and matted. They don’t look very fierce with the appearance of a skinny chicken.
The Topaz Suite is a little pricey but works quite well.
Here they sit in trees over the swamps and wait for prey. What is hidden under the bird is a huge Bull Frog.
As for Topaz, the only product I have is AI DeNoise which can be purchased separately. I don’t want another suite to learn so the single product was my solution.
Considering where I shoot the new version may be a great asset. My ISO in a swamp can go up to 10,000. Mid afternoon it’s night under the canopy.
Wow. That shot is spectacular when viewed close-up, Ted. I love owls, but am lucky if I manage to spot one or two a year perched in a tree.
Thanks, I now need to go back to my dark swamp images like this and try to clean up the noise again.
Owls just blend in so well if you don’t know their general locations it’s hard. Even after several years following them we still have problems.
They also torture me some nights. We have a pine stand behind the house, Great Horned and Barred Owls stop by, yell in the window, and leave LOL. I still creep out, but it’s rare I see a wing move.
I clicked on this to enlarge and a tingle went up my spine! Wow! Wow! and Wow! again. What a beauty. Not just the owl, but the whole setting … it’s magical, Ted! The clump of what looks like moss behind the owland that single bubble in the water … all make for a very special vision. Well done, and thank you for sharing! 🙂
And thank you so much. The setting is a typical cypress swamp, the Owls sit high and wait. I am thankful I did not delete all these photographs. I have many Owls in this and other swamps but ISO was just huge. The last Topaz DeNoise update looks to work well. The AI in the product takes time to analyze the file but this was shot at 10,000 ISO…crop sensor.
10,000 ISO! I thought 2,000 was high, lol! 🙂
Auto ISO in swamps/marshes. A bird goes from deep dark to bright light in one wing flap. The owls could not be shot hand held without it.
Wowzer!
Thank you 😀😀😀
I totally agree with Peter Hillman. The whole setting, the Spanish moss… it all turns this capture into a great photograph.
Thank you also for your comment on AI Topaz. I recently tested parts of it, did not get as far as AI. Must look into that again. I also enlarged this photo and was quite surprised to see the results, knowing how high ISO values can ruin a shot.
Greta, thanks for the kindness. The swamps can make extraordinary photographs (bad ones to with all the mud).
Topaz DeNoise version 2.1.2 .. works well. Previous versions so slow it was agony. This is not fast, but doable. DeNoise can be a separate stand alone product.
Thank you for the extra info Ted!
That is a dream of every wildlife photographer to capture this incredible moment. You took a spectacular photo of this Owl!
Thank you for suggesting the Topaz Software AI Denoise. I never used Topaz before.
I do get these opportunities, and am incredibly thankful. Most times the images cannot be used…except by me LOL. Now it’s time go back and see what I actually saved.
I am getting comments of DeNoise so I think I’ll do an article on it. Something different.
Thanks again.
It’s me again! This morning after your post I downloaded DeNoise but only the trial. I was concerned that this software is complicated but it appeared simple. I read your article, Ted! I am so grateful that you wrote about this software, I truly needed some software that would minimize the noise. THANK YOU!!!
Great shot! BTW: I’ve been using Topaz DeNoise for nearly a year. I am a big fan.
Thanks, Owls are the best of subjects LOL.
(cont.) My first try with DeNoise was not great. Install fails and slow. The newest version, and updates, made it a great program. Very happy with it.