Interested in the 2024 Grizzly Bear Photography Workshop, here are the details: www.klahooseresort.com/grizzly-bear-photography-workshop Limited spots available! Thanks for watching everyone!
Matt! You knocked it out of the park in this video. You are such an inspiration to aspiring nature photographers. Being able to capture the beauty of these magnificent creatures is a true art. Thank you for all you do!
Huge thank you, that means a lot! Thank you for watching and your feedback. I am enjoying my UA-cam experience and I can’t wait to show more of my adventures through video and stills! Thanks again! Cheers
Fantastic to hear! Welcome to the channel, I am glad you found me. I’m still finding my roots to this UA-cam world so feel free to share feedback and suggestions
Hey Matt, I am not sure why I have never seen your channel before but I am glad I did. Your story telling and video is absolutely amazing. You are my new favorite channel on UA-cam. Keep up the great work.
Great watch Matt, A friend and i have just returned from a day out photographing Short Eared Owls today ,Weather was ,not the best but we got some shots, Great work as always,Think im going for Barred Owl,👍
Thank you! Happy to hear you had some luck out with the Short Eared Owls despite the weather. I find the app Ebirds a great resource to finding more common owls in the area. Old growth along a creek has been a prime spot for me to find Barred Owls. Good luck on your next adventure!
Matt - I just discovered your channel and can’t get enough. Your images are amazing and your cinematography /storytelling have me hooked! Thank you for sharing your adventures, knowledge, and unbelievable images!
Thank you so much for your incredibly kind words! I'm thrilled to hear that you've been enjoying the channel and find the content engaging. It means a lot to have your support, and I'm grateful to share my adventures, knowledge, and images with you. If you have any specific topics or locations you'd like to see in future videos, feel free to let me know. Happy exploring! Cheers
Hello Matt thank you for your beautiful video and pics you made. Its very Inspiring to watch and listen to you, please keep doing these lovely vids. Thank you and many greetings from Germany, Michael
Great video. I find colour images just because of the owls eyes. Their eyes are very powerful. But black and white can convey a certain mood as well so it’s tough for me
I totally agree, great feedback thank you. I think the only one I like in B&W out of the mix is the barred owl. Their eyes are extremely dark with a slight reflection to give that window into the soul. Thanks again for the feedback and compliments to my video, cheers!
These are fantastic, images and video clips! I definitely prefer your color images because they show off the vividness of the owls eyes as well as the details of their feathers.
Phenomenal video. Beautiful photographs too. This is exactly the sort of content I'm after. I really want to start photographic birds of prey, especially owls. Thank you.
Really amazing shots. My personal favourite that you shared is the Snowy Owl on the fence post at 20:39. The setting and everything around just blends so well with the Snowy Owl. Thanks for sharing.
Matt, I just found your channel. Fantastic work. I absolutely love you walking us through your process in the field! I’ve been shooting Nature for about 3 years as a weekend warrior. I’m still learning and I appreciate your teaching style. I don’t have a long prime. I’m working with a Canon R5 100-500 7.1. Sometimes light is an issue, as my ISO gets pretty high. I know you can clean up the noise, but I still feel like the camera or me struggles with sharpness in low light. I’m going to binge watch your videos and hopefully find some tips there. Thanks for taking us into the field!
Dude, the close-up black and white photo is absolutely amazing! Glad to have found your channel, i'm just getting into bird photography; owls feel like the ultimate goal. Thank you for the inspiration! Greetings from the Netherlands.
Thankyou for all that info. Living in southern Saskatchewan, we get our fair share of owls. This winter has been packed with snowy owls, summertime, I always hear the owls, but never see them, but now I know. I still am using 2 nikon dslr's (D500, D780), but am itching to get a Z model. Specifically the Z6 mk3, which I heard will be coming out this year, it was mentioned they will be perfect for wildlife photography, static and flying shots. Havent used video yet on the cameras. But time is an issue of course. Loved the video, am subscribed as well.
Your images are just so beautiful Matt! I thoroughly enjoy watching your videos. They allow me to see beauty that I probably will never see. Thank you so much for sharing!! BTW, if I had to choose, I prefer the color images but they are all stunning!!
Hi Matt, My first time visiting your channel today, I must say how impressed I am with your cinematography and editing skills. Amazingly clear footage and sharp images! This tutorial was definitely helpful for some great photography tips. I really appreciated you showing how you went about achieving that Short-eared Owl environmental stitch. That seems like a useful technique I’d like to try! A little constructive criticism if you plan on making more videos on the subject. Would love to hear some of your best tips for finding owls in general, I feel like this video definitely covered the photo process but not the searching process as heavily. For me, researching each species habitat preferences and ranges has been really helpful. In the video you mention finding 6 Snowy Owl in an open area but it’s important for new birders to know that understanding Snowy Owl range is a critical factor in having such success.
Great feedback thanks. Color is just too important to the features of wildlife I think. Once in a while I think B&W takes a stronger hold over color depending on the story the artist/photographer takes. I appreciate the comments/opinions, cheers!
Absolutely stunning video as always! It’s awesome to see that a lot of the photos you used in this video were taken on the camera that I about to upgrade to which of course is the good old Nikon D850! I will be ordering one this week and I will be putting the Nikon 200-500mm F5.6 VR lens on the end of it! 😊
I think you might have asked me about the D850 in another comment. I've been trying to answer all of the comments so it takes me some time. It might have been someone else who asked me. ANYWAYS, yes the D850 is epic! I still have my D850 today and I also own the 200-500mm f/5.6 VR lens. A lot of the great horned owl images were taken with that exact setup. You will get outstanding images with that camera body and lens!
Great video Matt, it's nice to see some great UA-cam content from a fellow Vancouver Island photographer. I am surprised I haven't run into you somewhere on the island. Mill Hill in your area has been great for the American Kestrals that are nesting. Thanks for sharing your adventures and all the great tips.
Hi Keith, same here! I have been traveling out of town lately but it would be nice to connect with you abd other local photographers. It would be fun to shoot together. Once in a while I make it to Esquimalt Lagoon where I meet other photographers. I love the American Kestrals! I should check Mill Hill out. I lived by there 10 or so years ago so I know the area well. Stay connected!
@@MattShannonPhoto Hi Matt, I was at Mill Hill this morning and there wasn't much action. Four of the chicks have fledged and they stayed out of camera range for the whole morning. There is still one chick left in the nest but it didn't seem anxious to leave the nest. Neither of the adults fed any of the chicks. It was very windy on the hill and I think that may have created a problem for them. It was a long drive from Nanaimo for what we got this morning. Have a great week and keep up the great videos!!
My God, what amazingly beautiful photography! You are a true artist. How are you able to do this full time? Such a blessing to enjoy the majesty of creation all the time 😃
Thank you so much for your kind words! It truly is a blessing to do what I love. While I'm fortunate to be a full-time photographer, the reality is that it requires diversification to make ends meet. I'd love to spend all my days immersed in wildlife photography, but there's a lot of behind-the-scenes work - from various projects and assignments to editing and administrative tasks - that keeps me occupied. Nonetheless, every moment I get to capture the beauty of creation is a moment cherished. Again, thank you for your appreciation and support. Cheers!
Hi Matt, I love your videos I’m a big fan! I am new to softwares like photoshop … I only know hot to photo stack and exposure blend … can you do a video where you teach us how to stitch all those images togheter please ? Would help a lot to do those amazing composition you make. Thank you anyways
exceptional! I'm not sure which owl I like most. If I were to choose between black and white and color I would choose color except for that barred owl image...that one was so cool in Black and White!
Thank you! Yeah…color is the way to go . Perhaps I need to work on my black and white 😄. Interesting point about the barn owl. They are extremely rare here on Vancouver island. Rarely see them on the main land either but they are fascinating to watch and photograph. Many out in the UK?
@@MattShannonPhoto they are all ver the uk and I think the most widespread owl in the world. Saw one last Friday hunting in broad daylight. Did have my pf500 on my camera as I was minding my daughter’s 9 month old and planning to go to a waterfall that day for some photography!
@@MattShannonPhoto I'm shy more interested in catch and release minimum stress on the buitilfull fish. by the time I take a picture poor fish is stressEd out I just back pack in streams and tributaries so some one else can have that opportunity ...good movie Robert Redford a river runs through it amazing camera photography . give your moms a hug your an amazing person mate all the best ya ❤️ keep up your great work 👍
Unfortunately there are not a lot of different owls in the Netherlands. I did make some photographs of the little owl and her/his 2 youngsters. Really enjoyed your video('s) and photo's of this incredible creature's 👏 👍🏼
You’re just saying that so I don’t visit the beautiful Netherlands 😄! Thank you for the compliments and time to watch my videos! It is greatly appreciated! Cheers
Matt, I enjoyed your video and just subscribed. The Barred Owl has unfortunately displaced the endangered Spotted Owl from British Columbia. For details about how this happened, read the Spotted Owl chapter from A WING AND A PRAYER by Anders and Beverly Gyllenhaal.
Welcome to the channel! Thanks for the info on Spotted Owls. I looked this up and got some more info. Deforestation of old growth trees have played a part in the decline of spotted owls as well as urbanization. One article says that Barred Owls can interbreed with spotted owls but it is more common that they attack. Thanks again for subscribing and sharing! Cheers
Great videos and photos. Especially seeing you taking birds photos riding your motorcycle which I do, mix 2 hobbies together. Thinking of upgrading my Fuji x-t2 and 100-400 lens setup. Initially looked at Canon R5, which is still good after 3 years, but think its RF 100-500 won't be enough reach. Started to look at Nikon Z8 or Z9 now. I see they have relatively affordable 800mm lens, but I never shot that long prime and not sure if I will like experience over zoom lens, plus might be challenging carrying it on motorcycle. I see you use 500mm prime, do you believe it's enough for birds or you crop a lot? Would you prefer that 800mm over your 500mm prime? Thanks in advance.
Thanks for your kind words! I've heard great things about the 800mm 6.3-super light, good reach, and reasonably priced. It's surprisingly portable too. I carry a teleconverter to add to my 500mm for bird shots (if I remember to put it on), though the 500mm is ideal for larger animals like bears, moose, and whales. The 600mm with a built-in TC is a sweet spot, but, let's face it, not everyone has 20 thousand dollars lying around! For bird enthusiasts, the 600mm with a TC or the 800mm is the way to go without significant cropping. Those are my thoughts.
Absolutely stunning photos and video. Question: How do you move around and talk as an owel is perched, possibly hunting and not spook the owel. Your subject can surely hear you and probably see you. My experience even being as stealthy as possible , I more often than not, loose my subject before a clear shot. Even using a long mm lens.
Thank you and great question! There are a few barred owls and great horned owls that hunt and roost along a common hiking trail and they are not phased by humans. I have seen the barred owls swoop down at hikers and even at my own kid in the stroller! however, just like your experience with owls, when I'm deep in the woods, they are extremely shy and easily spooked. I'm constantly listening to the alarm calls from other birds to make out where they are from a distance so I don't miss my chance to take a photograph.
Have you used the app called ebird? I just check on that app and there are Great Horned Owl's in Richmond, Delta, Surrey Maple Ridge and a few other locations. You could also search on Facebook forums too to find out locations.
Lenses that are perfect for the tour are the 200-500mm, 180-600mm, 400 prime, 500 prime. Even the 70-200mm f/2.8 is great and you could add a 1.4x TC or a 2x TC to it for more reach. Last time I photographed along the river, my 500mm was too close at times and I got only head shots so it can depend on where the bear wants to go :) Does that help? Thank you for asking.
I suppose it depends on the user. The are pretty much the same camera except the Z8 is smaller with the smaller batteries and no hand grip. Z8 doesn't have 2 CFX/XQD ports for fast chips, instead it has only one and the other card slot is for SD cards. Z9 has a firmware update that I don't believe is available for the Z8 but I don't see why that won't trickle down soon enough to it. In conclusion, the Z9 is better for me. I want 2 CF express cards so that I can shoot 8k RAW if I want and 20fps RAW with out the camera skipping a beat :) ....I also love the battery grip and battery life. I hope that answers your question.
I know right! You are 100% correct. I was on a 3 week trip through the Canadian Rockies mostly shooting landscape and I added snowy owls to the list. I only had the layers I brought and they were black.....BUT, 30 seconds after reading your comment, I thought about a hazmat suite that is all white to throw on overtop of my layers. That would have been perfect! Great tip thank you! Kinda an obvious one lol but I appreciate you pointing that out because you are so right.
There's virtually no way to approach an owl close enough to get decent pictures without it seeing you, regardless of what you wear. That works for prey animals of the sort that hunters like to kill, but not for animals with exceptional hearing and eyesight.
Matt - incredible photography! You have captured some beautiful owls and have helped us to appreciate what it takes to produce such beautiful images! Thank you!! I am focusing on improving my skills at producing sharp images. I, too, have a 500 PF and just purchased the new 600 f/6.3. Questions: 1) Do you ever use teleconverters?, and 2) how close do you feel you need to be to your subjects in order to preserve the sharpness you exhibit in your photos? Finally, can you tell us any one thing that was the turning point for you in producing tack sharp images? Thank you!!
Totally, you are right for those seasoned in bird watching and wildlife photographers but to neighbours, friends and outdoor folks who see an owl in the woods, they share what species they think it is and between the two they get it mixed up. I only say that because I get messages on social media about a GHO when in fact it was a Barred Owl and vise versa. The similarities are: Size: Both owls are similar in size, with the great horned owl being slightly larger on average Habitat: They inhabit overlapping ranges and can be found in various habitats, including forests, woodlands, and mixed vegetation areas across North America. Nocturnal Predators: Both owls are primarily active during the night and possess excellent nocturnal hunting abilities. They rely on their exceptional vision and acute hearing to locate and capture their prey. Prey and silent flight, especially through woodland areas. If you're new to the owl world, this may have you guessing BUT I completely understand your view and I appreciate you mentioning that. To be honest, my wife said the same thing LOL.
Interested in the 2024 Grizzly Bear Photography Workshop, here are the details: www.klahooseresort.com/grizzly-bear-photography-workshop
Limited spots available! Thanks for watching everyone!
Epic! Spots I'm sure will fill up for that.
Coffee is included??
great Environment shot of the owl. like the colors
Thank you for the feedback, you are too kind.
Matt! You knocked it out of the park in this video. You are such an inspiration to aspiring nature photographers. Being able to capture the beauty of these magnificent creatures is a true art. Thank you for all you do!
Huge thank you, that means a lot! Thank you for watching and your feedback. I am enjoying my UA-cam experience and I can’t wait to show more of my adventures through video and stills! Thanks again! Cheers
Superb video! I watched it with curiosity! Just LOVE owls! 🦉🤎Greetings from a Swedish youtuber! 🇸🇪
black and white image of the barred is sweet. Looks like the grim reaper!
I thought the same. Haunting image
This video was a hoot!
Love it! Thank you.
Thanks so much for sharing another wonderful video like always and beautiful photos, 🐦👍🤗
As always, you are the best thank you! I appreciate the fantastic feedback! Cheers
That stitch was amazing!. the photos of the short eared owl in flight are amazing!.
Sweet! Glad you think so, thanks for watching and the amazing comment, cheers!
the photos of the short eared owl in flight are amazing!
Awesome! Happy to hear I nailed it thank you! It was a good year for numbers where I live.
Great video. Stunning video and photos. Thanks!
Thank you! Hope to see you next time, cheers!
So GLAD this showed up on my search for Owl photography..your work is amazing...new sub..Thank you!!!
Fantastic to hear! Welcome to the channel, I am glad you found me. I’m still finding my roots to this UA-cam world so feel free to share feedback and suggestions
Can I use the word stellar too?! I need to see some coffee making b-roll, when will that happen?
I hear ya!
Yes and I know right! I love my coffee so when the timing is right, I will include some clips of my pro coffee making abilities.
Hey Matt, I am not sure why I have never seen your channel before but I am glad I did. Your story telling and video is absolutely amazing. You are my new favorite channel on UA-cam. Keep up the great work.
EPIC that is so great to hear! Welcome to the community. Always happy to hear your suggestions or feedback. Cheers
Awesome photography. The birds in some of these photos really look possessed. Very haunting.
That stitch was amazing!
Thank you! I’m assuming you are referring to the Short Eared Owl stitch and not the Barred Owl stitch?
@@MattShannonPhoto yes, sorry for not clarifying. The short eared owl shot was amazing! Great work
NP Thank you! Cheers
Fantastic content on those owls, love it. I especially loved your barred owl content.
Great video. I love the Snowy along the fence line 😀
Thank you! I’m hoping to see more this winter 🙂🦉
Stellar as always
Yes, stellar is what I was going for, thank you! I appreciate it.
Great watch Matt, A friend and i have just returned from a day out photographing Short Eared Owls today ,Weather was ,not the best but we got some shots, Great work as always,Think im going for Barred Owl,👍
Thank you! Happy to hear you had some luck out with the Short Eared Owls despite the weather. I find the app Ebirds a great resource to finding more common owls in the area. Old growth along a creek has been a prime spot for me to find Barred Owls. Good luck on your next adventure!
Fantastic. Inspiring.
Great compliments thank you! Cheers
Fantastic 😍
Thank you! 🙋♂️🙂
Matt - I just discovered your channel and can’t get enough. Your images are amazing and your cinematography /storytelling have me hooked! Thank you for sharing your adventures, knowledge, and unbelievable images!
Thank you so much for your incredibly kind words! I'm thrilled to hear that you've been enjoying the channel and find the content engaging. It means a lot to have your support, and I'm grateful to share my adventures, knowledge, and images with you. If you have any specific topics or locations you'd like to see in future videos, feel free to let me know. Happy exploring! Cheers
What a great video! Fantastic photos you got and a very beautiful story you told to us. Thanks Matt!
My pleasure! Pumped to hear you enjoyed it thank you. Cheers
amazing photos Matt, you got my sub.
Awesome, thank you! Cheers
Stunning owl 🦉 pictures.. I'm a subscriber after watching this video and learning more about owl photography.. thanks for sharing 😁
Happy to have you join the community, thanks for subscribing! Feel free to share feedback and suggestions. I am still learning too 🙂
Hello Matt thank you for your beautiful video and pics you made. Its very Inspiring to watch and listen to you, please keep doing these lovely vids. Thank you and many greetings from Germany, Michael
Great video. I find colour images just because of the owls eyes. Their eyes are very powerful. But black and white can convey a certain mood as well so it’s tough for me
I totally agree, great feedback thank you. I think the only one I like in B&W out of the mix is the barred owl. Their eyes are extremely dark with a slight reflection to give that window into the soul. Thanks again for the feedback and compliments to my video, cheers!
These are fantastic, images and video clips! I definitely prefer your color images because they show off the vividness of the owls eyes as well as the details of their feathers.
Thank you, and I agree 🙂! I love those details in the feathers 👌
Beautiful footage and images! Always enjoy your work and videos!
Thank you! Means a lot coming from another outstanding photographer! I checked out your work, you are in Oregon correct? What a stunning place.
@@MattShannonPhoto Thank you so much, very kind of you! I am in Oregon
Phenomenal video. Beautiful photographs too. This is exactly the sort of content I'm after. I really want to start photographic birds of prey, especially owls. Thank you.
Really amazing shots. My personal favourite that you shared is the Snowy Owl on the fence post at 20:39. The setting and everything around just blends so well with the Snowy Owl. Thanks for sharing.
Matt, I just found your channel. Fantastic work. I absolutely love you walking us through your process in the field! I’ve been shooting Nature for about 3 years as a weekend warrior. I’m still learning and I appreciate your teaching style. I don’t have a long prime. I’m working with a Canon R5 100-500 7.1. Sometimes light is an issue, as my ISO gets pretty high. I know you can clean up the noise, but I still feel like the camera or me struggles with sharpness in low light. I’m going to binge watch your videos and hopefully find some tips there. Thanks for taking us into the field!
Dude, the close-up black and white photo is absolutely amazing! Glad to have found your channel, i'm just getting into bird photography; owls feel like the ultimate goal. Thank you for the inspiration! Greetings from the Netherlands.
Great video! I recommend the book What an Owl Knows by Jennifer Ackerman if you haven’t read it.
I haven't read it but I will check it out! Thank you and thanks for the compliment to my video. Cheers!
Awesome video! Owls are so cool! Thanks for taking me along!
Great to hear thank you! Cheers
Just subscribed today! Glad I found this channel. Love the short-eared owls.
🙌 yes welcome to the community! Thank you for subscribing and I appreciate the compliments to my work! Feel free to share feedback. Cheers
Step 1. Live in or around British Columbia.
Thank you for sharing and keep up the great work man.
They are amazing , ive only seen 2 owls in my life here in Australia. Not because Im not observant, just dont see many. Loved this video
Thankyou for all that info. Living in southern Saskatchewan, we get our fair share of owls. This winter has been packed with snowy owls, summertime, I always hear the owls, but never see them, but now I know. I still am using 2 nikon dslr's (D500, D780), but am itching to get a Z model. Specifically the Z6 mk3, which I heard will be coming out this year, it was mentioned they will be perfect for wildlife photography, static and flying shots. Havent used video yet on the cameras. But time is an issue of course. Loved the video, am subscribed as well.
Hola: Espectacular el video y la información,muchas gracias por compartirlo.Saludos
Really beautiful video. Thank you for sharing
Very inspiring& stunning Thanks
Thank you! Cheers!
great video, ur a master in your field. amazing images
Fantastic compliment thank you! I am glad you enjoyed it. Cheers
Your images are just so beautiful Matt! I thoroughly enjoy watching your videos. They allow me to see beauty that I probably will never see. Thank you so much for sharing!! BTW, if I had to choose, I prefer the color images but they are all stunning!!
You are so kind thank you so much! I am glad you enjoy my videos and photographs. Thank you for the comment and feedback, thank you for the support!
21:28 👍🏼 Wonderful video! Subscribed!
Awesome thank you! Cheers
Stunning shots Matt! Love the shoot through leaves. Some guys use that for macro work also. Keep up the great content.
I appreciate it, thank you for watching! Cheers
stunning work Matt
Thank you! 🙋♂️🙂
pro !
🙂!
Great presentation. I enjoyed it immensely.
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for watching, cheers
Hi Matt,
My first time visiting your channel today, I must say how impressed I am with your cinematography and editing skills. Amazingly clear footage and sharp images! This tutorial was definitely helpful for some great photography tips. I really appreciated you showing how you went about achieving that Short-eared Owl environmental stitch. That seems like a useful technique I’d like to try!
A little constructive criticism if you plan on making more videos on the subject. Would love to hear some of your best tips for finding owls in general, I feel like this video definitely covered the photo process but not the searching process as heavily. For me, researching each species habitat preferences and ranges has been really helpful. In the video you mention finding 6 Snowy Owl in an open area but it’s important for new birders to know that understanding Snowy Owl range is a critical factor in having such success.
Amazing episode, stills and video. Very informative. I will check out your other videos. Thank you.
Thank you for watching and I hope you enjoy more of my content! Cheers
I like the photos in color more than black and white
Great feedback thanks. Color is just too important to the features of wildlife I think. Once in a while I think B&W takes a stronger hold over color depending on the story the artist/photographer takes. I appreciate the comments/opinions, cheers!
What a thoroughly profound observation “streams a low to the ground”😂😂
Absolutely stunning video as always! It’s awesome to see that a lot of the photos you used in this video were taken on the camera that I about to upgrade to which of course is the good old Nikon D850! I will be ordering one this week and I will be putting the Nikon 200-500mm F5.6 VR lens on the end of it! 😊
I think you might have asked me about the D850 in another comment. I've been trying to answer all of the comments so it takes me some time. It might have been someone else who asked me. ANYWAYS, yes the D850 is epic! I still have my D850 today and I also own the 200-500mm f/5.6 VR lens. A lot of the great horned owl images were taken with that exact setup. You will get outstanding images with that camera body and lens!
Inspiring!
Yes! Great to hear 😄
Great video. I think I hear great horned owls in my residential area but not sure. Been getting close and this video was very helpful!
excellent stuff
Thank you kindly!
Great video Matt, it's nice to see some great UA-cam content from a fellow Vancouver Island photographer. I am surprised I haven't run into you somewhere on the island. Mill Hill in your area has been great for the American Kestrals that are nesting. Thanks for sharing your adventures and all the great tips.
Hi Keith, same here! I have been traveling out of town lately but it would be nice to connect with you abd other local photographers. It would be fun to shoot together. Once in a while I make it to Esquimalt Lagoon where I meet other photographers. I love the American Kestrals! I should check Mill Hill out. I lived by there 10 or so years ago so I know the area well. Stay connected!
@@MattShannonPhoto Hi Matt, I was at Mill Hill this morning and there wasn't much action. Four of the chicks have fledged and they stayed out of camera range for the whole morning. There is still one chick left in the nest but it didn't seem anxious to leave the nest. Neither of the adults fed any of the chicks. It was very windy on the hill and I think that may have created a problem for them. It was a long drive from Nanaimo for what we got this morning. Have a great week and keep up the great videos!!
Well done, Matt. Please do follow ups showing how you find and compose more owl shots.
Will do! Thanks for watching, cheers
My God, what amazingly beautiful photography! You are a true artist. How are you able to do this full time? Such a blessing to enjoy the majesty of creation all the time 😃
Thank you so much for your kind words! It truly is a blessing to do what I love. While I'm fortunate to be a full-time photographer, the reality is that it requires diversification to make ends meet. I'd love to spend all my days immersed in wildlife photography, but there's a lot of behind-the-scenes work - from various projects and assignments to editing and administrative tasks - that keeps me occupied. Nonetheless, every moment I get to capture the beauty of creation is a moment cherished. Again, thank you for your appreciation and support. Cheers!
thank you for sharing.
My pleasure! Thanks for watching. Cheers
Hi Matt, I love your videos I’m a big fan! I am new to softwares like photoshop … I only know hot to photo stack and exposure blend … can you do a video where you teach us how to stitch all those images togheter please ? Would help a lot to do those amazing composition you make. Thank you anyways
exceptional! I'm not sure which owl I like most. If I were to choose between black and white and color I would choose color except for that barred owl image...that one was so cool in Black and White!
I hear ya, and I agree! Rarely do I like B&W with wildlife photography but that barred owl in B&W I like a lot.
Interesting and helpful!
Thank you Jeremy! When are you coming to Canada for a shoot?
@@MattShannonPhoto tomorrow! 😉
I love B&W but in this case I'll give it to Colour! 😉
Color all the way it seems! Makes sense. Each owl looks great with its color
Excellent video, photos and very information. Prefer the coloured shots. Your Barn Owls are very dark. In the UK they are much whiter.
Thank you! Yeah…color is the way to go . Perhaps I need to work on my black and white 😄. Interesting point about the barn owl. They are extremely rare here on Vancouver island. Rarely see them on the main land either but they are fascinating to watch and photograph. Many out in the UK?
@@MattShannonPhoto they are all ver the uk and I think the most widespread owl in the world. Saw one last Friday hunting in broad daylight. Did have my pf500 on my camera as I was minding my daughter’s 9 month old and planning to go to a waterfall that day for some photography!
I'm a stream fisherman the beastie wildlife is a stress relief your awesome fam
I’d love to see some UA-cam videos of a stream fisherman. Can you make that happen? Sounds amazing
@@MattShannonPhoto I'm shy more interested in catch and release minimum stress on the buitilfull fish. by the time I take a picture poor fish is stressEd out I just back pack in streams and tributaries so some one else can have that opportunity ...good movie Robert Redford a river runs through it amazing camera photography . give your moms a hug your an amazing person mate all the best ya ❤️ keep up your great work 👍
Unfortunately there are not a lot of different owls in the Netherlands. I did make some photographs of the little owl and her/his 2 youngsters. Really enjoyed your video('s) and photo's of this incredible creature's 👏 👍🏼
You’re just saying that so I don’t visit the beautiful Netherlands 😄! Thank you for the compliments and time to watch my videos! It is greatly appreciated! Cheers
Matt, I enjoyed your video and just subscribed. The Barred Owl has unfortunately displaced the endangered Spotted Owl from British Columbia. For details about how this happened, read the Spotted Owl chapter from A WING AND A PRAYER by Anders and Beverly Gyllenhaal.
Welcome to the channel! Thanks for the info on Spotted Owls. I looked this up and got some more info. Deforestation of old growth trees have played a part in the decline of spotted owls as well as urbanization. One article says that Barred Owls can interbreed with spotted owls but it is more common that they attack. Thanks again for subscribing and sharing! Cheers
to me, the colored ones rock more for my taste
Thanks for the feedback Cheers
Great videos and photos. Especially seeing you taking birds photos riding your motorcycle which I do, mix 2 hobbies together. Thinking of upgrading my Fuji x-t2 and 100-400 lens setup. Initially looked at Canon R5, which is still good after 3 years, but think its RF 100-500 won't be enough reach. Started to look at Nikon Z8 or Z9 now. I see they have relatively affordable 800mm lens, but I never shot that long prime and not sure if I will like experience over zoom lens, plus might be challenging carrying it on motorcycle. I see you use 500mm prime, do you believe it's enough for birds or you crop a lot? Would you prefer that 800mm over your 500mm prime? Thanks in advance.
Thanks for your kind words! I've heard great things about the 800mm 6.3-super light, good reach, and reasonably priced. It's surprisingly portable too.
I carry a teleconverter to add to my 500mm for bird shots (if I remember to put it on), though the 500mm is ideal for larger animals like bears, moose, and whales. The 600mm with a built-in TC is a sweet spot, but, let's face it, not everyone has 20 thousand dollars lying around! For bird enthusiasts, the 600mm with a TC or the 800mm is the way to go without significant cropping. Those are my thoughts.
@@MattShannonPhoto Thank you!
Absolutely stunning photos and video. Question: How do you move around and talk as an owel is perched, possibly hunting and not spook the owel. Your subject can surely hear you and probably see you. My experience even being as stealthy as possible , I more often than not, loose my subject before a clear shot. Even using a long mm lens.
Thank you and great question! There are a few barred owls and great horned owls that hunt and roost along a common hiking trail and they are not phased by humans. I have seen the barred owls swoop down at hikers and even at my own kid in the stroller!
however, just like your experience with owls, when I'm deep in the woods, they are extremely shy and easily spooked. I'm constantly listening to the alarm calls from other birds to make out where they are from a distance so I don't miss my chance to take a photograph.
Where can I go to start looking for the Great Horned owls in the Vancouver lower mainland area.
Have you used the app called ebird? I just check on that app and there are Great Horned Owl's in Richmond, Delta, Surrey Maple Ridge and a few other locations. You could also search on Facebook forums too to find out locations.
What lenses do you recommend for the Grizzly Bear tours?
Lenses that are perfect for the tour are the 200-500mm, 180-600mm, 400 prime, 500 prime. Even the 70-200mm f/2.8 is great and you could add a 1.4x TC or a 2x TC to it for more reach.
Last time I photographed along the river, my 500mm was too close at times and I got only head shots so it can depend on where the bear wants to go :)
Does that help? Thank you for asking.
1111like🎉🎉🎉
🙌🙌😄
do you think z8 is better than z9?
I suppose it depends on the user. The are pretty much the same camera except the Z8 is smaller with the smaller batteries and no hand grip. Z8 doesn't have 2 CFX/XQD ports for fast chips, instead it has only one and the other card slot is for SD cards. Z9 has a firmware update that I don't believe is available for the Z8 but I don't see why that won't trickle down soon enough to it.
In conclusion, the Z9 is better for me. I want 2 CF express cards so that I can shoot 8k RAW if I want and 20fps RAW with out the camera skipping a beat :)
....I also love the battery grip and battery life. I hope that answers your question.
@@MattShannonPhoto thank you so much for that information
Color
We think alike, thanks for the feedback! Cheers
@@MattShannonPhoto love your channel, cheers
You are the best thanks!
Why not wear white while you are in a snow environment to help hide your approach! Works for me!
I know right! You are 100% correct. I was on a 3 week trip through the Canadian Rockies mostly shooting landscape and I added snowy owls to the list. I only had the layers I brought and they were black.....BUT, 30 seconds after reading your comment, I thought about a hazmat suite that is all white to throw on overtop of my layers. That would have been perfect!
Great tip thank you! Kinda an obvious one lol but I appreciate you pointing that out because you are so right.
I just noticed your channel! You are a great talent! Great wildlife photos!
There's virtually no way to approach an owl close enough to get decent pictures without it seeing you, regardless of what you wear. That works for prey animals of the sort that hunters like to kill, but not for animals with exceptional hearing and eyesight.
Owls can hear a mouse 3 ft under the snow. They’ll definitely hear you coming
Happy you found me! I shoot landscape too so I hope I don't scare to many wildlife photographers away :)
Matt - incredible photography! You have captured some beautiful owls and have helped us to appreciate what it takes to produce such beautiful images! Thank you!! I am focusing on improving my skills at producing sharp images. I, too, have a 500 PF and just purchased the new 600 f/6.3. Questions: 1) Do you ever use teleconverters?, and 2) how close do you feel you need to be to your subjects in order to preserve the sharpness you exhibit in your photos? Finally, can you tell us any one thing that was the turning point for you in producing tack sharp images? Thank you!!
I disagree. I've been photographing Owls for many years and Barred owls are nothing like Great Horned owls.
Yes barred owls are more tolerant to humans vs GHO
Totally, you are right for those seasoned in bird watching and wildlife photographers but to neighbours, friends and outdoor folks who see an owl in the woods, they share what species they think it is and between the two they get it mixed up. I only say that because I get messages on social media about a GHO when in fact it was a Barred Owl and vise versa. The similarities are:
Size: Both owls are similar in size, with the great horned owl being slightly larger on average
Habitat: They inhabit overlapping ranges and can be found in various habitats, including forests, woodlands, and mixed vegetation areas across North America.
Nocturnal Predators: Both owls are primarily active during the night and possess excellent nocturnal hunting abilities. They rely on their exceptional vision and acute hearing to locate and capture their prey.
Prey and silent flight, especially through woodland areas. If you're new to the owl world, this may have you guessing BUT I completely understand your view and I appreciate you mentioning that. To be honest, my wife said the same thing LOL.
@@MattShannonPhoto I was wondering if you meant the great grey owl as it has that similar smash face.
In my time it was considered unethical to take pictures of birds on their nests - and certainly not of birds of prey.
Why is that?