From Joshua N Wiley
Haunting.
My signature shot as a wildlife photographer is of Snowy Owl in a fir tree lined up with the rising full moon. It’s been one of my most popular images. So I try not to miss any opportunity to line up birds with the moon. Especially owls. It’s become a bit of a personal project for me.
While in Alligator River last Friday night, I spotted a Great Horned Owl perching from a dead tree after nightfall. Then I saw the first quarter moon. Then I put two and two together.
The owl was actually too close for the shot to work at f/11, because the owl basically covered the entire half moon. But at f/4, the moon swelled a little bit in bokeh, and the owl fit inside its out-of-focus glow.
8/29/25
Nikon Z9, 600 mm, 600 mm, f/4, ISO 2000, 1/100 second.
Dare County, North Carolina
Thank you! I try to keep the community living up to its name.
Do you have a favorite owl or type of photo? I’m always curious what gets people interested.
Well this sub is about quality of owl, not quality of pic-though I do like the more artsy less ‘naturey’ typically darker shots.
Oh good! I come across some like this and wonder if people will like it even if it’s not actually showing the owl. I’ll keep my eyes out for some more then!