How to photograph owl in middle of night? I finally found the source of the hooting going on at night. It was perched on top of a window ledge outside the house last night around 11pm.

silveragemarvel Loc: Keller, Texas

I finally found the source of the hooting going on at night. It was perched on top of a window ledge outside the house last night around 11pm. I heard it hoot so I was able to locate it with a flashlight. I would probably use my flash to take the shot but how would I focus in the dark? Thank you.

cosmo54 Loc: Easton, PA but will travel for photos

manual focus on the approximate spot....by estimating the distance?

RaydancePhoto

Have someone hold the flashlight while you focus, I have done this and it works pretty well.

birdpix Loc: South East Pennsylvania

1. Have someone light it with a flashlight while you focus.
2. Most cameras and/or external flash units have an Auto Focus assist beam that needs to be enabled. That will illuminate your subject with either the flash unit or an infrared beam.
3. Set up on a tripod during daylight and prefocus on where it perches. turn off AF and come out and shoot when it arrives.

St3v3M Loc: 35,000 feet

Adding to the posts above this may also help http://photoshoptutorials.ws/photography-tutorials/techniques/7-tips-for-great-photos-in-the-dark.html

silveragemarvel Loc: Keller, Texas

Since it's at night, I am on my own on this and it's pitch black out. I'm shooting with Nikon D300s with sb-600 flash unit. Owl appears in different areas so I can't prefocus.

Thank you all for the responses.

birdpix wrote:

1. Have someone light it with a flashlight while you focus.
2. Most cameras and/or external flash units have an Auto Focus assist beam that needs to be enabled. That will illuminate your subject with either the flash unit or an infrared beam.
3. Set up on a tripod during daylight and prefocus on where it perches. turn off AF and come out and shoot when it arrives.

St3v3M Loc: 35,000 feet

silveragemarvel wrote:

Since it's at night, I am on my own on this and it's pitch black out. I'm shooting with Nikon D300s with sb-600 flash unit. Owl appears in different areas so I can't prefocus.

You could always 'bait' him leaving a treat where you want it to land.

glojo Loc: South Devon, England

I have taken pictures of badgers that come near our house after 11pm at night. The only illumination I used is from our kitchen so the light was very poor. However...........

The badger was only 3-4metres away and the madness to my method by posting this image is to let you see how the conditions deteriorate the further away from the light source. The kitchen lights are not that bright and certainly do not turn night into day..

My thoughts on flash is that the thing needs to be just as close to benefit otherwise it might be a waste? (polite question)

Hand held
The ISO was cranked up to 3200
f2.8
Shutter speed 1/20th
Exposure value increased by 0.7

Nitty gritty with my style is when these events take place.... Any picture is better than no picture :thumbup:

St3v3M Loc: 35,000 feet

glojo - What did you name it?

glojo Loc: South Devon, England

St3v3M wrote:

glojo - What did you name it?

They are vicious devils and sadly we are not on first name terms :thumbup:

I was laid on the floor by an open door and it eventually got so close I could not focus! My sister and brother-in-law disappeared way before it got too close but I was a captive audience :)

I've posted this example so the OP can see had the light fades but really high ISO, playing with the Exposure Value MIGHT work.

Can I suggest you turn on the house lights and even try putting out food although don't owls tend to go for live thingies? Turn those lights on and just take pictures to see if they come out even without the owl present!!

High high does your ISO settings go?

RaydancePhoto

silveragemarvel wrote:

Since it's at night, I am on my own on this and it's pitch black out. I'm shooting with Nikon D300s with sb-600 flash unit. Owl appears in different areas so I can't prefocus.
Thank you all for the responses.

Tape a flashlight to your lens or camera, if you have one, use a small LED flashight, not tried this but should work.

St3v3M Loc: 35,000 feet

RaydancePhoto wrote:

silveragemarvel wrote:

Since it's at night, I am on my own on this and it's pitch black out. I'm shooting with Nikon D300s with sb-600 flash unit. Owl appears in different areas so I can't prefocus.
Thank you all for the responses.

Tape a flashlight to your lens or camera, if you have one, use a small LED flashight, not tried this but should work.

I've often wondered if you could attache a laser to your camera like a gun mount and let the camera focus off that. I guess now I will have to try it out.

glojo Loc: South Devon, England

St3v3M wrote:

quote=RaydancePhoto quote=silveragemarvel Since ... (show quote)

The laser will definitely frighten the bee gee bees out of the owl :(

Forgot to mention I have a similar camera to the OP although mine is the D300 as opposed to the D300S.

I am guessing if they want to take a picture of an owl then do we have to be extremely quiet and stealthy?? Will flashlights and lasers scare these birds away although I'm told US birds are not as timid as our pesky things.

RaydancePhoto

I have an LED panel that I use sometimes at the bird feeders, mounts on the hot shoe, the birds dont seem to care it is there.

glojo Loc: South Devon, England

RaydancePhoto wrote:

I have an LED panel that I use sometimes at the bird feeders, mounts on the hot shoe, the birds dont seem to care it is there.

:thumbup:
Does an LED panel give off a bright light that is pointed at the birds at night? I have no idea what it is that you are describing :(