When photographing birds in flight, the best wing positions are almost always when they take off or land. The wings have to ply the air just right in order for the bird to get into the right position, and in a fraction of a second -- at a fast frame rate like 20 fps -- you can capture several great shots in the sequence. This male snowy owl had just took flight from the top of a power pole, and in the -40 temperature I was waiting for it to fly. I was leaning against our van for protection from the wind which was actually dangerous to any exposed skin. When I studied the LCD screen, 6 shots showing dynamic wing positions were captured in that one flight. It was about an hour before sunset, and the low sun added to the beauty of the image. In post-processing, all I did was add contrast and clarity to increase the visual impact. Male snowies are especially fast fliers, so the 1/3200 shutter speed froze the action, allowing us to see and appreciate all the exquisite details in the bird.
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