How to FIND and PHOTOGRAPH OWLS where you live - Wildlife photography - Nikon Z9
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Great Horned Owl facts - International Owl Center
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Matt Shannon (Thats me) is an inspired nature and landscape photographer living on Vancouver Island. His images have captured an international audience and his artwork hangs in homes around the world. He has developed a keen eye for detail and a passion for striking images. Matt is an enthusiastic teacher and hosts regular workshops aimed at inspiring and equipping photographers.
Matt’s photography is the product of his adventuresome heart - it’s the physical representation of his love for striking landscapes and beautiful natural creations.
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Inspiring! Your deep love for nature shines through your work. It's refreshing to see someone like yourself present content that is actually informative and has value.
Thank you so much for your kind words! I'm truly passionate about nature, and it means a lot to hear that my work resonates with you. I strive to create content that not only showcases the beauty of the natural world but also provides valuable information. Your encouragement is greatly appreciated! Have a great week and thanks for watching, cheers!
Tea is definitely the most important part of my kit 🍵😁
Brilliant work Matt. Thanks for taking us along on your photographic adventures.
My pleasure! Glad you enjoyed it!
Thanks so much for sharing another wonderful video like always and beautiful photos 👍😊
Thank you! Always a pleasure hearing from you, I appreciate it very much! See you next time 😃
A great video Matt with lots of great tips, some of which I use myself. Owls are probably my favorite bird to photograph and one of the most fun to look for. We are fortunate on Vancouver Island to have a good variety of Owls. Thanks for sharing and have a great week!!
Thank you for the kind words Keith! Great grey owls are on my list this Spring if I can make time. Thank you for following along, enjoy the amazing weather we are having! Cheers
Great video, Matt, as always. Owls are a favorite and challenging subject.
Thank you so much! Indeed, owls are both captivating and tricky to find and photograph. But when you find them, it is the best. I'm glad you enjoyed the video! Cheers.
Great episode! And wonderful pics of a beautiful animal.
Fantastic adventure and great learning experience! Thanks for taking me along!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Great video, pictures and information Matt. And also nice idea about the challenges👍. Will be looking out for the next one😊
Another interesting and informative video! Much deserving of high subscribers count and good analytics! Keep up the good work!
I’m fairly new to wildlife photography. I shoot Canon, but can understand your settings. As you were running down all your choices, you said, exposure compensation at +3 because there was a lot of sky in your shot. I’m trying to understand that one? That would totally blow out the sky! But I guess help get the exposure better for the bird? I challange you to show us how to process that photo as a learning experience! 😊
You just get better detail/clearer image of the subject, because he was going for the whole photo he moved to higher ground which countered the sky background. Ultimately better composition for the photo. I think he ment it as like well it is an option if your choices are limited but ultimately if you can avoid it probs better.
Yes the trick is to expose for the subject. So the sky would be blown out but the bird would be correctly exposed. Incidentally this situation makes for good "high key" shots (great for monochrome conversion)
Great video Matt, so jealous of your Ebird findings near you, I wish I could see that around here. I like the challenges, keeps things fun and interesting and it’s good to see interaction with your family. Take care!
Awesome adventure. I definitely love the challenge. More of this, for sure.
Thank you James! I’m excited to challenge myself on another adventure. Stay tuned 🙂. It will have to be after the herring spawn though
Thanks for another fun video and great tips! All the best from the west coast
Thanks Matt ..... this video came at just the right time for me ..... over the last couple of days, I have been trying to figure out how to find an owl to photograph. Great video!
Awesome!! Without my wife, this challenge wouldn't have happened so I owe it to her. Let me know if you get lucky and score an owl sighting!
Great tips Matt and I loved that you showed your process as well! Owls are always a treat to see! I made my own video of seeing my lifer Long-eared Owl, I definitely used some of the tips you mentioned when I was looking for it!
Thanks for the tips, they are great! Always been using the white wash and specially lost feathers on the ground
Nice job, well done !!!!
Thanks for sharing Matt, love your vids.🤩👍
Happy to hear it! Thank you for watching and all the positive feedback! Cheers
Amazing vídeo! I have learned so much and I personally prefer this method so much more than just setting up a blind and food and waiting for 2 hours
It's so wonderful you have owls near you! All our local owls have been killed or driven off by beastly raccoons. It's so sad, I used to wander in the woods, listening to them talk.
Great video, thanks for sharing Matt!
You are very welcome, thanks for watching!
Good vibes ❤
Thank you! Cheers
Thanks for doing this. Gives me a better idea of how to do the research.
You are most welcome! Thanks for watching
Great video! I’m heading to Vancouver island next week so hopefully I’ll be able to see some cool wildlife!
Excellent video. I like the approach of showing your process.
Glad you enjoyed it! Great feedback thank you
Love the info. Matt!! I’ve been looking locally for a Great Horned owl but no luck yet! I did find a couple of short eared owls recently
Thank you!
The missis is really putting you under pressure here :-)
yes 😄. She keeps me on track.
Amazing work Matt 😊
Thank you! 😁
Fellow nikon shooter!! Love my Z8.
Awesome! Such a great camera. I just purchased the 400mm f/4.5. That paired with the Z8 is a stellar combo. Happy Shooting!
Great video, shots and tips. Your owls are so tolerant on the island. If that had been in the UK it would have been off as soon as it spotted you. For Barn owls I’d say go out dawn/dusk particularly after a couple of days rain/wind and then nice weather as they’ll need to do some extra hunting. In woodland I also say when looking up look for rugby ball shapes on branches as all you’ll usually see is silhouettes.
Very good info on the owls. Thanks for sharing...... How about some River Otters?
Thanks for introducing me to the E-Bird app. Finding habitat has been a hit and miss for me. I have installed it and have found numerous bird sightings in my area of Calgary, Alberta. I appreciate you taking the time to show how you approach photographing wildlife. I shoot with a Nikon D800E with a old Nikon AF-S 300 f2.8 D, with a 2X Nikon Nanocoated teleconverter, on a gimbal head, supported with a dated Gitzo carbon tripod. I love photographing Pileated, Downy, and Hairy woodpeckers, Common Mergansers, Wood, and Mallard ducks. I have gone past the bird sanctuary at Chaplin, Saskatchewan along Hwy 1, and the Chaplin Nature Centre is a great stop. Migratory birds stop here in the spring to feed on the fresh water shrimp.
Amazing vlog.....beautiful Owl....liked and subscribed from Ireland
Thanks for watching and the sub! I love Ireland 😀
Very helpful! There is one that has returned to a trail near me so I will be using your advice!
You have a budding photographer there!! 😊 Thanks for sharing the video!!
Yes I do ☺️. Thanks for watching!
I've just checked eBird and it looks like migration season is underway. I've also just subscribed. Love your content. I spotted some owl poop myself recently so I know where to look again.
I really enjoyed the video and format. I wish I had some owls around here :( thank you again really like the video and learned a lot about owl behavior
Excellent.
Thank you! Cheers!
great content, greetings from Italy 😊
Thanks for watching. I love Italy, cheers!
Hi Matt! Thanks for the video - it's super useful to see how pro works))) I change you to photograph field mice 🐁
That's the lens I have. I use it on a Nikon D500. I love it! Very sharp. Wondering how it works on a Z body though. The bird auto focus would make life a lot easier!
Hey Matt! Great video! Love taking photograph of owls! I have a challenge for you! Can you make the same kind of video but with Northern Pigmy Owl? They are my favorite owls to shoot but a challenge and a half…
Hey Matt! Amazing video - curious about what lut you used for the owl footage. Thanks!
Very interesting video idea. Thanks and congratulations for the pictures. One non related gear question: do you have any suggestions on walkie-talkies? Greetings from Brazil
Nice video Matt, could you find and photograph peregrine falcons??
Hey Matt and Haley, amazing works as usual! Your images are soooo in focus unreal. May I share a tip I learned recently; The sound of the female is higher than the male Great Horned. The one you filmed sounded like a male. Until we meet again.
challenge you to photograph mountain loins, I enjoyed his video allot, thanks for sharing
You mention in the video that you're interested in a challenge bird. One of my photo-shy birds is the Golden-crowned Kinglet. That's my challenge, will you accept?
Great video! Owls are so beautiful to photograph❤ I was wondering if you'd take the challenge to photograph a mouse?
amazing images and tips. Here's a challenge for Bears maybe.
Cool, awesome video! My little trick is to get out there when it's dark before the Sun comes up and listen for hoots. Get within 100 yards or so and when light is good enough to get a picture, start hooting! They will often get curious and fly up close and check you out.
Very nice video and great channel😊 Greetings
Thank you very much!
0:51 super organic :P
I enjoyed this video. Great insights. How did you set the white balance? Auto? Also for the high ISO, do you use any software for noise? TOPAZ?
Glad you enjoyed it! For photography I set the white balance to auto and photograph in RAW. Video I usually set the white balance before shooting. Yes, I use Topaz for noise, sharpening (if needed) and gigapixel if I need to enlarge the image.
23:50 wow
Matt, Thanks for this educational video. I have a question that I hope that you can answer for me. I may be on your island in June and would like to get some tips on finding and photographing bears. Is it possible for us to communicate? Would be interested in knowing about guides, and lodging. Thanks Vince
gotta have tea
haha yes :)
Cảm ơn rất nhiều
You are welcome! Thank you for watching.
I always find that on E Birds, Nobody ever post owl sightings
The quality of your images are so good! Nice video once again!
That means a lot thank you so much! I hope to keep the good times and images comin!
Great video. What about a puffin challenge 😊
A challenge I would love to accept! I’ve be thinking about puffins for a while.
@MattShannonPhoto That would be awsome. I have lived in the PNW my whole life and had no idea until recently that they can be found on our coastline. I would love to see where and how ypu would find these amazing birds! Can't wait.
I challange you to Photograph a Butterfly up close while flying
Yea
Note that eBird blocks some owl species from being shown to the public.
Yea 0:56 0:58
Why shoot in DX? Cant you just crop in FX in Lightroom?
Try coming here! I can hear the owls on my mountain, but I cannot get under the trees or even walk between them - it's dense foliage on steep inclines!
do you get bald eagles up where you live and if so, what season do they appear? I just joined so not certain what I could challenge you about. First time seeing your video.
Welcome to the channel! Yes, we have bald eagles all year round here. I just returned from the Spring Herring Spawn where hundreds of eagles gather to catch the herring during their spawn. It was wild! I'm soon to launch two workshops for next year capturing eagles if you are interested.
Whats your experience on GHOs hunting territory size? It seems pretty big to me. Much bigger than barred owls and therefore, GHOs dont seem to roost in a particular set of trees for too many days in a row before moving on..I have a hard time finding them outside of nesting season. Also, would you say seeing barred owls in an area is a sign that GHOs arent around as they are the bigger bird and would drive the Barreds away? Fairly experience barred owl finder, but Im trying to up my game...
Come on Matt, “times a ticking”! Your wife makes a great camera woman! Thanks for making me smile! It was nice to see your family in this one. I love your content, I always learn something about photography or the animals!
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
That's where all the hooters in my area went
Nature photographer for over 50 years..owls like to be near open fields that are forest lined, also listen for crows. Crows will always give away an owl , or other birds of prey .
Coyotes and Bobcat challenge!
Mrs. Shannon is not messing around. Awesome video!
😆 no, she knows I can ramble on. Thank you for watching!
Raven would be a nice video
Oooo yes, I would like to do that challenge.
Here in Europe, where I live, the forests are mostly dead. They're pretty much all commercial forests with mostly young trees, it's really sad. Except for little owls, in a meadow orchard, I've never been able to find an owl, not even a squirrel, to be honest.
Great video! Challenge = foxes
How about a grizzly?
Just downloaded the app but when I search for specific owls, nothing shows up. Is the app not letting people report owls sightings or have there just not been any seen (find this hard to believe since i live just outside of Yellowstone)
sightings of some owl species are hidden from public view because they're sensitive to human disturbance
Sorry, I’m dumb. What’s a pellet?
Great question! An owl pellet is a mass of undigested parts of prey that an owl regurgitates after consuming its meal. When an owl eats its prey, such as small mammals, birds, insects, or other creatures, it cannot digest certain parts like bones, fur, feathers, and exoskeletons. Instead of passing through the owl's digestive system, these indigestible parts are formed into a compact mass inside the owl's stomach. Eventually, the owl regurgitates the pellet. I hope that makes sense.
How to find your local hooters in your area 😂😂😂 see what I did there
😂
There are squirrels everywhere. Your challenge is to show us how to get a cool shot of an ordinary squirrel. Love your channel as a new subscriber.
Porcupines
Ooooo yes, porcupines is a good one. Sadly we do not have them on Vancouver Island so I will have to travel to find and photograph some.
It's great to have your wife participating in the video.... Fun!
These ads for dating services are getting really weird. I mean local grannies, yes, but owls??
Owls don't build their own nest. They "appropriate" from other birds. Scandalous...🤔
What’s up with that “Drill Sargent” woman shouting at you like your a freshly enlightened private going Thru basic training…..??? ‘Twas Wow was startling!!!!! Maybe it’s that “ FM mind virus” ? Oh now course I mean the latest, most updated version available, of course…..)
Why is standard to talk about everything except the clickbait title? Who cares about you wife or backpack or face?????