Captured moments: a wintery stare

It was February, just a few days before Valentine’s Day, but sitting in my van with the windows down at -10 degrees Fahrenheit, my mood was far from romantic. I was stopped on a snow-covered access road winding through a section of the Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge, trying to photograph short-eared owls (Asio flammeus). I say “trying” because I had spent most of the day not in the right position to take a photo, as either the owl or the sun was not in the best place. Othertimes, one shot could have been perfect because the light was great and the background ideal, but the owls weren’t cooperating; they were either looking away or flying in another direction before I could press the shutter.

I had come to Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge, located in northern California, near the Oregon border, hoping to photograph bald eagles, hawks, and owls. The refuge plays home to one of the largest wintering populations of bald eagles outside of Alaska. During my four days traveling the country roads, highways, and access roads that bisect the refuge, I saw plenty of bald eagles and numerous other raptors, like the ferruginous hawk. But it was the short-eared owl that I most wanted to capture in a photograph. There were dozens upon dozens of them. I just needed one to be in the right place at the right time. Patience, I told myself.

The snow-covered landscape presented both challenges and opportunities. It was a challenge because the bright, glaring light during the day meant getting the right exposure for my intended subject required properly adjusting my camera settings to compensate for all the light reflecting off the snow. Additionally, this was not a place for auto white balance (I needed to manually set the white balance to ensure the snow appeared bright white rather than blue) or auto-focus (even the best systems designed to lock onto eyes can be tricked to not focus correctly by the bright snow). Therefore, everything had to be set manually. At the same time, the bright, snowy landscape offered an opportunity for emotional impact, allowing wildlife colors to offer a striking contrast with the stark, bright white snow.

Ring-necked Pheasant

Another challenge was that while my vehicle served as an effective wildlife blind (something that conceals a photographer from view) for me to work in, it also restricted my access to wildlife because I had to remain on the roads within the refuge. And while the wildlife, owls in particular, were relatively tolerant of vehicles, maneuvering to get the best shot angle with the best light often meant spooking the birds. Sometimes they would come back. Often not.

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On this day, I had been working in the refuge since dawn, capturing several shots of wildlife I considered keepers, but still not a great one of a short-eared owl. It was nearing two in the afternoon. I had been sitting in my van in one spot for over an hour, watching several owls hunt the fields for voles that occasionally popped up through the snow. Then, I saw my opportunity. One of the owls landed on a small cluster of dry reeds just ahead of my van. The light was perfect, coming from the side, and the background was ideal. Willing myself to stay calm, I started the van engine and slowly crept the vehicle forward, camera ready to shoot, cradled in my lap. I got as close as I dared, then turned off the engine and sat still momentarily, observing the owl. It looked at me several times but showed no indication it would fly away. Keeping my movements slow and taking extreme care not to bump any part of the lens against the van as I poked it through the open window, I positioned my camera, adjusted my focus and exposure, and then stared through the viewfinder at the owl. I could see it flinching, ready to take off. All I needed was one look. Then it turned again, staring directly into my lens. I pressed the shutter. One shot. That was all I got as the owl immediately flew off to continue hunting. But one shot was all I needed.

• Camera: Sony A7R5

• Lens: Sony FE 300mm F2.8 + 2X Teleconverter

• Shutter speed: 1/2000^th

• Aperture: f/6.3

• ISO: 320

— Story by Michael Hodgson – Enjoy more photos by Michael Hodgson – Fine Art prints are available for gifts or your home or office walls. Free subscribers always receive 25% off. Paid subscribers enjoy a 50% discount. For more photography tips, visit our HI Travel Tales Photography website.

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