High-key Snowy Owl

Here is a simple, high-key image of a Snowy Owl after being harassed by a raven while scouting for my upcoming owl workshops. I hadn’t noticed the owl because I was on the other side of the snow mound (a snow-covered pile of manure) that hid the owl. The constant dive-bombing alerted me to the concealed owl, as is often the case.

Snowy Owl (Bubo scandiacus, Harfang des neiges, SNOW) Ontario, Canada, while scouting for my Winter Owl Workshops. Image Copyright ©Christopher Dodds. Sony a9 III Mirrorless camera & Sony FE 600mm f/4 G Master OSS Lens with Sony FE 2X Teleconverter @1,200mm ISO 10,000, f/8 @ 1/5,000s Manual exposure.

Snowy Owl Hoar Frost Heaven

A Snowy Owl on a very cold and windless morning before sunrise during my winter owl workshop. The owl was so well hidden with its camouflage that it took several minutes for my group to see it after I pointed it out. This may be one of my favourites :)

I announced an additional winter owl workshop from February 3 to 7, 2025.

Snowy Owl Hoar Frost Heaven (Bubo scandiacus, Harfang des neiges, SNOW) from my Snowy Owl Workshop in Ontario, Canada. Sony a1 mirrorless camera body Sony & Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS Lens @600mm F/6.3 ISO 10,000 @ 1/5,000s.

Snowy Owl ICE TALON

Light freezing rain caused a thin layer of ice over the freshly fallen snow. I love how the talons grip the ice as this young female Snowy Owl takes flight.


Owl toes and talons

Owls have four toes on each foot. Two toes point forward, one toe points backward, and each foot's ‘reversible’ outer toe can point forward or backward, as the owl wishes. Sometimes, three of the owl’s toes point forward, and sometimes only two. With two toes pointing forward and two back, known as a zygodactyl, the owl can perch securely on a branch. When the owl clutches its prey, its toes spread so the owl can get a firm grip. It is known as anisodactyl when it has three toes facing forward and one backward.

A long, sharp claw called a talon is at the end of each toe. The owl uses its talons to snatch, squeeze, and kill prey animals. It also uses talons to defend itself against predators, such as hawks, other owls, badgers, and raccoons.

Many owls have feathered legs and feet for warmth. Snowy Owls, for example, who live in the cold Arctic, have heavily feathered legs and feet. Elf Owls live in warm, southern climates and have lightly feathered legs.

Snowy Owl ICE TALON (Bubo scandiacus, Harfang des neiges, SNOW) from my Snowy Owl Workshop in Ontario, Canada. Sony a9 II Camera body, Sony 600mm f/4 GM OSS Lens, Sony FE 1.4X Teleconverter @ 840mm F/5.6 ISO 1,600 1/3,200s.

Snowy Owl High Key Abstract

Love it, or hate it? This Snowy Owl image breaks all the rules. It is from my annual Winter Snowy Owl Workshops a few years ago. I usually don’t post anything this different, but since I just reprocessed this one before printing it 40” X 60” for a large order heading to The Netherlands, I decided to share.

Please feel free to comment with your thoughts: Do you love or hate it, and why?

Snowy Owl High Key Abstract (Bubo scandiacus, Harfang des neiges, SNOW) from my Snowy Owl Workshop in Ontario, Canada. Sony a1 mirrorless camera body Sony & Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS Lens @401mm F/6.3 ISO 2,000 @ 1/5,000s.

Great Gray Owl

A favourite Great Gray Owl image from one of my Winter Owl Workshops in 2013 that I just reprocessed before making a 40” X 50” print for a client in The Netherlands.

There are still two spots left for my January 27-31 Winter Owl Workshop.

Great Gray Owl (Strix nebulosa, Chouette Lapone, GGOW, Dark Wood Owl, Lapland Owl, Striped Owl, Lapp Striped Owl, Great Grey Owl) ©Christopher Dodds from my winter owl workshops in 2023 @344mm ISO 5,000, F5,6 @ 1/5,000s Manual Exposure mode. Join me for my winter owl workshops in January.

American Crow in Flight

Formerly known as a Northwestern Crow, this American Crow added to the Eagle fun during my Eagles Galore Workshops in Alaska. I love the frost on its feet.

American Crow in Flight (Corvus brachyrhynchos, Corneille d'Amérique, AMCR) March 7, 2024 near Homer, Alaska. Image copyright ©Christopher Dodds Sony Alpha a9 III Mirrorless camera & Sony FE 600mm f/4 G Master OSS Lens @600mm ISO 10,000, f/8 @ 1/5,000s. Manual Exposure mode. Slight crop. Join me for my Eagles Galore workshop next March. To learn more, CLICK HERE.

Bald Eagle Blizzard Flight

An immature Bald Eagle on final approach during my Eagles Galore Workshop in Alaska. I chose the newly released combination of the Sony a9 mark III and Sony 300 f/2.8 lens for the 120 fps frame rate of the a9 III and the incredible sharpness and extremely narrow depth-of-field of the 300 f/2.8 to ensure I captured direct eye contact while obliterating the background to make the subject pop. The snow was the icing on the cake :)

Immature Bald Eagle Blizzard Flight (Haliaeetus leucocephalus, Pygargue à tête blanche, BAEA) March 12, 2024 near Homer, Alaska. Image copyright ©Christopher Dodds Sony Alpha a9 III Mirrorless camera & Sony FE 300mm f/2.8 G Master OSS Lens @300mm ISO 4,000, f/2.8 @ 1/5,000s. Manual Exposure mode. Full frame image. Join me for my Eagles Galore workshop next March. To learn more, CLICK HERE.

Bald Eagle in flight Sony a9III with Sony 300 f/2.8 and doubler

Here is another Bald Eagle from my recently concluded Eagles Galore Workshop in Alaska. I used the new Sony a9III paired with the new Sony 300 f/2.8 and the Sony 2X tele-extender. My settings were wide open at f/5.6, ISO 6,400 and 1/5,000 of a second shutter speed.

When I picked up the Sony a9 Mark III for the first time, I noticed how fast the autofocus was. I didn’t expect much, as the Sony a1 has worked flawlessly for me since its release in January 2021. The new a9 mark III acquires autofocus quicker and reacts to unpredictable movement even better than expected; it is faster and more capable than the Sony a1.

The new Sony 300 f/2.8 lives up to my expectations. It has faster autofocus than the 400 f/2.8 and incredible edge-to-edge image sharpness. It is also light, compact, and easy to hold.

I was blown away by the autofocus and image quality when paired with the Sony 2X tele-extender. This full-frame image is a good example of how well the autofocus of the combined lens and tele-extender works; captured at the near end of the autofocus limit, this is the point where auto-focus usually fails.

I am so impressed that I am considering selling off my Sony a1 inventory!

Bald Eagle in flight (Haliaeetus leucocephalus, Pygargue à tête blanche, BAEA) March 11, 2024 near Homer, Alaska. Image copyright ©Christopher Dodds Sony Alpha a9 III Mirrorless camera & Sony FE 300mm f/2.8 G Master OSS Lens with Sony 2X @600mm ISO 6,400, f/5.6 @ 1/5,000s. Manual Exposure mode. Full frame image. Join me for my Eagles Galore workshop next March. To learn more, CLICK HERE.

Bald Eagle in a Snow Storm a la Sony a9III and 300 f/2.8 & KUDOS

I am home from hosting two epic back-to-back Eagles Galore Workshops in Alaska. The weather was excellent, with both groups using all of their boat time (we loved the daily four-hour trips). Both groups got a fair mix of weather, including the prized SNOW!

There is so much to say about the incredible new Sony a9 III and the new Sony 300 f/2.8; perhaps I should keep it all to myself to keep an edge and stay one step ahead of the competition - smile.

Bald Eagle in a Snow Storm (Haliaeetus leucocephalus, Pygargue à tête blanche, BAEA) March 12, 2024 near Homer, Alaska. Image copyright ©Christopher Dodds Sony Alpha a9 III Mirrorless camera & Sony FE 300mm f/2.8 G Master OSS Lens @300mm ISO 2,500, f/2.8 @ 1/5,000s. Manual Exposure mode. Full frame image. Join me for my Eagles Galore workshop next March. To learn more, CLICK HERE.

“This is the second time I have attended this eagle workshop. I came back as the imaging that Chris helped me obtain was stunning in 2017 and now in 2024.

The weather is always challenging, but Chris’s over 40 years of experience with photo opportunities here in Alaska help produce stunning eagle images, from in-flight to charming head portraits.

Chris is a host that you will enjoy – he knows how to tease out the birds for that special photo opportunity, irrespective of local weather challenges. His ability to assist both the casual amateur and full-fledged pro-level individuals is amazing, and with all brands of mirrorless cameras. He knows lenses, bodies and settings to assist all users.

Chris’s special gift is the immense bird knowledge that he possesses – once you come on one of his trips and experience this reality, you will realize how special his skill set is.

Over the years, I have attended numerous workshops with Chris. I have never been disappointed, and I always look forward to the next time with him.”
— Wynne Powell - British Columbia, Canada

Black-capped Chickadee in Flight a la Sony a9 Mark III at ISO 25,600

Sony a9 mark III Initial thoughts

Since receiving a preproduction model, I have intensely tested the new Sony a9 mark III. I had hoped to write a mini-review by now, but it simply wouldn’t be objective, fair or accurate this early on. There is a new level of menu item adjustments (yes, even more choices to make), with too many combinations to test everything thoroughly. I received my production models early last week, and I will write a full review and let you know the best settings once I get home from my Alaska Eagles Galore Workshops in mid-March (Two spots have opened up due to cancellations). Until then, stay tuned for tidbits (bits & bobs).

I wanted to test the camera as much as freeze the wingtips, so I adjusted my ISO to 25,600 (Which happens to be the camera’s maximum native sensitivity), shutter speed to 1/5,000s and shot wide open at f/8 (600 f/4 lens plus 2X extender). I can honestly say I am impressed so far; I applied some noise removal software (in Adobe Camera Raw) and love the resulting images.

The auto-focus works even better than the now three-year-old flagship, the Alpha 1. Still, my time with difficult-to-photograph birds has been limited, and I haven’t tried all of the AF menu setting combinations, so I feel it is too early to make the final judgement on how much better.

120 Frames per second RAW capture is insane! You must learn to become a ruthless editor and cull everything but the best images. Gone are the days of my wishing for a slightly later or earlier frame to get a better wing position! This camera is a real game-changer!

Black-capped Chickadee in Flight (Poecile atricapillus, Mésange à tête noire, BCCH). From February 17, 2024, Southwestern Quebec, Canada. Image Copyright ©Christopher Dodds. Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless camera & Sony FE 600mm f/4 G Master OSS Lens with Sony FE 2X Teleconverter @1,200mm ISO 25,600, f/8 @ 1/5,000s Manual exposure. Full frame image.

Great Grey Owls LOVERS

Happy Valentine's Day

This image was made in Ontario, Canada, on January 26, 2005. I have a series of about 80 images that I kept from this incredible moment in a field behind a water treatment plant in Bracebridge, Ontario, Canada. Witnessing the affection, vocalizations, and gestures these two Great Grey Owls performed was incredibly touching and unforgettable!

Great Grey Owls LOVERS (Strix nebulosa, Chouette Lapone, GGOW) Ontario, Canada January 26, 2005. © Christopher Dodds All Rights Reserved. Canon 1D Mark II with Canon 100-400 zoom lens @120mm. ISO 250 f/6.3 @ 1/1,600s.

Snowy Owl

Here is a Snowy Owl from a recent private Snowy Owl Photo Tour. Snowy Owls and snow have been in short supply this winter in southeast Canada, and this beauty showed up more than two months late!

I used the new Sony a9 III paired with my Sony 200-600mm zoom lens. Although we were close and using the van as a blind, I never got to photograph it blasting off as planned because it sat there until dark. It looks somewhat alert after being dive-bombed by a raven.

Snowy Owl (Bubo scandiacus, Harfang des Neiges, SNOW) from a recent private Winter Snowy Owl Photo Tour in Canada. Image Copyright 2024 ©Christopher Dodds All Rights Reserved. Sony Alpha a9 III Mirrorless camera & Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS Lens @200mm. ISO 400 @ 1/2,000s f/5.6. Full frame image.

Short-eared owl

This was the last frame from the first of my Winter Owl workshops, which concluded yesterday. The snow was a welcome treat after many weather-related challenges (Rain & tropical weather)!

The Short-eared Owl was first described in 1763 by Danish bishop and amateur naturalist Erich Ludvigsen Pontoppidan. They have also been called the Evening Owl, Marsh Owl, Bog Owl, Grass Owl, Meadow Owl, Mouse-hawk, and Flat-faced Owl.

Short-eraed Owl in Flight (Asio flammeus, Hibou des marais, SEOW) The last frame from my first Winter Owls Galore workshop that concluded yesterday. Image Copyright ©Christopher Dodds. Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless camera & Sony FE 600mm f/4 G Master OSS Lens with Sony FE 2X Teleconverter @1,200mm ISO 12,800, f/8 @ 1/5,000s Manual exposure. Full Frame image.