Who is in the Smokys

Dixie

He keeps the mice away in the Cades Cove campground in the Great Smoky Mountains NP.

pathfinder

Dixie wrote:

He keeps the mice away in the Cades Cove campground in the Great Smoky Mountains NP.

Darn you!!:D - Owls are hard to get!! Nice capture. Strong use of the Hightlight/Shadow tool, perhaps? :uhoh

Dixie

pathfinder wrote:

Darn you!!:D - Owls are hard to get!! Nice capture. Strong use of the Hightlight/Shadow tool, perhaps? :uhoh

A little, but had to use the clone tool more because a small branch ran though the center of his head and curved out by his left eye. Distracting as all get out. It passed just above his left pupil. The problem was that it went across about 2/3rds of the image so I had to take it out the entire length because I couldn't find a way to get it to terminate near his head naturally.

Dixie

I should have also mentioned that he has put in an appearance the last three years running when my wife and I go to Cades Cove camping and photoing every April. He normally shows up about an hour to 45 minutes before sunset and hangs around until after it gets dark. I expect we will see him again this year.

BTW, if anyone is in the area and would like to join me for some shoots, I'll be happy to shoot with you. I plan on doing Cades Cove one day and Roaring Forks Nature Trail for one day. We will probably arrive on a Thursday evening and leave on Sunday morning. It will probably be either the 1st or the 3rd weekend in April. I'll know for sure the exact weekend within the next two weeks.

Get me a shout if anyone is interested.

wxwax

Wow, if I could I'd jump at the opportunity to shoot with you, Dixie. I fear work will prevent that in April. :cry

ridetwistyroads

I'll try and remember a few weeks before april, I have no idea what work will be like by then. But if I'm free, then I'd love to hook up. Just a "commute" from here.....:D

Great owl shot, and very handy work with the clone stamp tool.

Dixie

wxwax wrote:

Wow, if I could I'd jump at the opportunity to shoot with you, Dixie. I fear work will prevent that in April. :cry

Sid, not a problem. I go to GSMNP and surrounding area 4-6 times a year. I spend almost an entire week there each fall and if I miss the colors one week, I make a return trip within the next two weeks. Been doing that for about six years now.

shaman

I'll be there, staying in Tuckaleechee Cove April 7,8 & 9.
I'm feverishly trying to garner as much technique and familiararity with my equipment to correct some mistakes I made when I was there 7 weeks ago.
Being only 3 hours from GSMNP I am planning on making at the minimum 4 trips a year. (now that I've got a digital SLR)

shaman

Dixie wrote:

Sid, not a problem. I go to GSMNP and surrounding area 4-6 times a year. I spend almost an entire week there each fall and if I miss the colors one week, I make a return trip within the next two weeks. Been doing that for about six years now.

pathfinder

Dixie wrote:

A little, but had to use the clone tool more because a small branch ran though the center of his head and curved out by his left eye. Distracting as all get out. It passed just above his left pupil. The problem was that it went across about 2/3rds of the image so I had to take it out the entire length because I couldn't find a way to get it to terminate near his head naturally.

Excellent job of cloning - I didn't see that - not sure that I do even tho you have pointed it out. Birds of prey have the darndest ability to keep a branch or a few twigs between themselves and a would be photographer. Hawks in particular seem to prefer to hide behind some limbs. But catching owl shots is really cool.

Dixie

shaman wrote:

I'll be there, staying in Tuckaleechee Cove April 7,8 & 9.
I'm feverishly trying to garner as much technique and familiararity with my equipment to correct some mistakes I made when I was there 7 weeks ago.
Being only 3 hours from GSMNP I am planning on making at the minimum 4 trips a year. (now that I've got a digital SLR)

shaman

Regretfully, shaman, I will be in Martinsville shooting the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Race that weekend.

Just think of this pic as a black-nosed redbird.

Dixie

pathfinder wrote:

Excellent job of cloning - I didn't see that - not sure that I do even tho you have pointed it out. Birds of prey have the darndest ability to keep a branch or a few twigs between themselves and a would be photographer. Hawks in particular seem to prefer to hide behind some limbs. But catching owl shots is really cool.

You're right about the hiding behind twigs and branches.

Here is the twig.

Harryb

Dixie wrote:

He keeps the mice away in the Cades Cove campground in the Great Smoky Mountains NP.

Hey Dixie,

Very cool shot. I have yet to get a decent shot of an owl. Excellent psot processing too. If you are going to shoot birds you will usualy be doing some cloning somewhere.