Owl With Golden Eyes Closeup Colour Wildlife Photography
A Direct Gaze Within Layers of Grey Feathers
I was photographing in a small town with an experienced Canadian bird photographer when we encountered this owl. His quiet, deliberate approach was part of the day, and it shaped how I approached the bird as well. The owl was perched low and remained still while I waited. I wanted to give that moment time rather than hurry past it.
The eyes are what first hold my attention in the photograph. Their strong golden yellow colour stands out against the grey feathers and dark rings around them. The bird faces the camera directly, with its small yellow beak between the two eyes. That frontal view gives the portrait a clear centre, even though the feather patterns around it are far from simple.
Looking more closely, I see fine pale strands crossing darker bands throughout the face. The feathers follow different directions above the eyes, around the cheeks and beneath the beak. I kept the framing close so those changes remain part of the portrait, rather than becoming a small detail within a larger wildlife scene.
The photograph came after a period of stillness, and the opportunity lasted only a few seconds. That is what I remember alongside the colour and texture: waiting, watching and allowing the bird to remain as it was. In the finished square image, the owl’s face fills the view. There is no surrounding landscape to compete with the eyes or the intricate feathering that gives them their setting.
© Dan Kosmayer, 2017
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About My Fine Art Photography
Every photograph in my collection comes from my own travels, explorations, and years behind the camera.
I create my work as photographic art rather than mass-produced decoration. From street portraits and abandoned places to landscapes, architecture, and the unusual subjects I discover along the way, each image begins with something that made me stop and look.
My photographs are available in multiple sizes so the same image can work in anything from an intimate wall space to a large statement installation.
