Bird Photo Competition 6 2017 : Entry Number 10

This image stands out by being both humorous and engaging. An owl with a spider on its head is not something many of us will ever see, so there is interest value from the outset. A bird portrait with eye contact will also normally be more engaging to a viewer than one without. In this case, however, it's the owl's expression that really elevates the image, because it's pretty much exactly the expression most humans would have if we had to put up with having a spider on our heads, especially whilst having our photos taken. The clean composition with quirky framing further add to the visual impact.

My name is Maria Serrano. I am so honored to have received this recognition! Thank you! This image is titled 'There's Something on my Head, Isn't There?' I took this image in Salton Sea with a Nikon D810 paired up with a Nikon 500mm on a tripod with a Gimbal head. I made edits for contrast, vibrance, shadows, and cropping using Lightroom. This is one of those times when it paid off to stay with my subject for an extended period of time...inching my way closer and closer without causing stress. One of those very lucky days!