Barred Owl

I'm usually seeking hella clean backgrounds, so this frame represents a departure from that minimalist approach. I deliberately shot through some foreground foliage to create the blur which frames the subject, and I think the resulting image suggests the secluded deep woods which this bird prefers. Ironically, I'd left my camera in the car when I went birding on this rainy morning, this subject appearing when I ducked into a roadside thicket to use nature's restroom! I took care of business, raced back to the car, grabbed my rig, and spent the next half-hour conceiving and capturing this shot (the bird undisturbed throughout). If you look closely, you can see the ends of the wings and tail are wet from the morning rain. Not much light under cloud and canopy -- hence 1/200, f/4, and ISO 3200 -- but Topaz reduced noise and recover feather detail.

Rockingham County, New Hampshire, 10/25/21
Canon 400mm f/4 IS DO II on EOS R5
1/200 at f/4, ISO 3200