[Birdnet] Are those real?

[Mark Stackhouse]

Paul,

I had to look - it's a really cool photo, but yes, clearly "pshopped." 
Besides the items you mentioned, the moon is too large relative to the 
owl. For the apparent size of the moon to be that large relative to the 
owl, the owl would have to be quite distant from the photographer, 
making the depth of field/lighting issues even greater. Besides, as 
black as the sky is, it would be hard to even see an owl at the 
required distance, even in the moonlight. I can't imagine trying to get 
a photo (especially one that beautiful) under those conditions.

Mark Stackhouse
mark at westwings.com
801-487-9453 (Salt Lake City, Utah, USA)
011-52-323-285-1243 (San Blas, Nayarit, Mexico)

On Nov 26, 2007, at 4:13 PM, Paul Higgins wrote:

> I've have had fiun with the "Short-eared Owl--full moon" image I 
> posted last Friday.  Several people have responded to ask if the image 
> is real or "photoshopped".  I even had a couple of people say it was 
> pshopped because it was too perfect not too be.  I guess I better quit 
> trying for the perfect bird image... no one will believe it even if I 
> get it.
>  
> No one yet has told me why they thought it was pshopped except it was 
> too perfect.
>  
> This is why I think it is pshopped.  (1)  both the owl and the moon 
> are in sharp focus.  No one makes a lens/camera with that large of a 
> depth of field.  The only way you could get both images sharp is by 
> double exposing two images(my camera does that), or imprinting one 
> image upon another(photoshop).
>  
> (2) The lighting is good but has some problems. With a full moon 
> behind the owl, and dark ambient light, the owl would be extremely 
> backlit and would appear black.  This could be overcome with some fill 
> light but as you can see the fill light is coming in from the high 
> right.  It could possibly be done in a gallery but highly, 
> highly, unlikly in the wild.  The owl wouldn't just sit there while 
> you did all of this preparing.  Enlarging the images and looking at 
> the congrous edges is another good help in detecting pshopped.
>  
> Is it too perfect?...maybe.  Are those real?...I'll never tell.
> Here is the image again, I hope you enjoyed it.
>  
> http://www.pbase.com/phiggins/image/89386724
>  
> Paul
>
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