Wall Art for Bird Lovers
People who love birds tend to be picky about bird art, and I understand why. They know when a wing is drawn wrong, when a species is out of its habitat, or when a photo has been polished into something no bird would recognize. If that sounds like you or someone you know, Owl Eyes was made with that kind of eye in mind. It is a straight photograph of a short-eared owl, and here is what a bird lover might notice about it.
Road tripping Highway 395, I took a side road to Twin Lakes. Along the way, birds. Lots and lots of birds, but nothing of note. However, on the way back, after the coldest swim of my life, an owl sat upon a fence post.
Pulling out my Tamron 150-500mm lens, I spent an hour locking eyes with this owl.
Additional Information:
Please allow 5-10 days for printing and shipping.
I have the ability to print custom sizes and material (like wood, gatorboard, etc.). If this interests you, please reach out to dj@dalton-johnson.com for a free quote with the size and material you desire.
The owl was perched on a weathered post beside a farm field, and it faces the camera. You can see the pale, round facial disc, the bright yellow eyes with dark rings around them, and the tiny ear tufts that give the species its name. Those tufts are small enough that many people miss them, which is part of the fun. Short-eared owls are known for hunting open fields and grassland around dawn and dusk, so a fence post beside a field is just where you would hope to find one.
That habitat detail is what I like most about the setting. Nothing about the scene is dressed up. The field behind the owl melts into a smooth blur of brown, with a bit of dark blue at the top of the frame, and the light had already faded after sunset. It looks like an evening in open country because it was one.
I photographed the bird from the window of our van, from roughly 50 to 80 feet away, using a long lens. Staying inside kept the owl relaxed, and it went on watching the field and blinking at us. Bird lovers will appreciate that no animal was chased or baited. It is a good rule for anyone with a camera, and I wish more people followed it.
The print is a vertical portrait, which is unusual for wildlife. Most bird photographs are horizontal because birds tend to be shot in flight or in wide habitat scenes. This one is tall, with the eyes sitting just above the center, so your gaze goes straight to them. Because of that shape, it hangs well in narrow spots, like beside a window, next to a door, or above a small table.
Choosing a material is straightforward. Paper is the lowest-priced option, and it needs a frame, so a framed paper print is the cheapest way to hang it. Metal is the most durable and strikingly crisp, though it is the priciest and can show glare. Canvas is warm and textured with little glare, and it costs more at larger sizes. All three suit the warm browns of this photograph.
If you are buying for a birder, a smaller size is a simple, low-risk gift. The sizes run from 8x10 to 24x36, with prices starting at $26.95. Prints ship in about 5 to 10 days, so leave a little room before any occasion.
There is one more thing worth saying. Wildlife has been a growing part of my work, and it happens because I spend so much time outdoors for assignments. I see far more animals than most people do, and I love sharing the ones that stop me. This owl stopped me.
If you keep a life list, the print can also sit nicely beside it. Many birders like a quiet reminder of a species that matters to them, and a tall, close portrait of a short-eared owl does that better than most.
I sign prints when I can, though I cannot promise it every time, and each one is made from a real photograph.
Go check out all the prints by Dalton Johnson.
About the Author
Dalton Johnson is a photographer, writer, and filmmaker who tells stories about real people pushing themselves in the outdoors, from the High Sierra to the far reaches of every continent. He has shot and written for brands, tourism boards, and editorial outlets, including Nike, Patagonia, Four Seasons, PBS, GoPro, and Ford, with more than 160 campaigns and hundreds of published articles to his name. Off assignment, he bikepacks, trail runs, swims open water, chases big waves, and rock climbs.
