Wall Art for Owl Lovers
If you love owls, you have probably noticed that most owl art falls into two camps. There are cartoons, and there are stock photos that feel like they came from nowhere. What I wanted to offer is something in between, a real photograph of a real owl, made by a person who was there. That is Owl Eyes, and it might be the piece you have been looking for.
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.
Here is the short version of how it came to be. In early December 2025, I was driving down Highway 395 with Kristin and our dog, Chestnut, and we had just come from a freezing rope swing at Twin Lakes near Bridgeport. On the way back toward Travertine Hot Springs, I spotted a short-eared owl on a fence post beside a farm field. I reached for my Tamron 150-500, and after a false start, we found the owl again a little way down the road. I stayed in the van and photographed it from the window. It was hunting, and it looked right at me.
What you see in the print is that moment. The owl sits on a weathered post with a faint glow still in the fading light. The background melts into a smooth blur of browns. The eyes are bright yellow, ringed in dark feathers, and they look straight at you. That direct stare is the reason people stop when they see it. There is something calm about the image, and something a little wild.
Short-eared owls are a treat for people who watch wildlife, partly because they hunt in open country around dusk and dawn, which lets you see them in the light. If you have ever spotted one gliding low over a field, you know how special that feels. This print is meant to bring a bit of that feeling into a room.
I framed the photograph as a vertical portrait, and I cropped it modestly so the eyes sit just above the center. That choice matters for your wall. A vertical print fits places where a horizontal one would not, like a narrow stretch between windows, a stairway, or the side of a bookshelf. It also draws the eye up to the owl's face.
The print comes in seven sizes, from 8x10 to 24x36. A smaller print suits a desk area or a bookshelf wall. A larger one gives the owl real presence over a mantel or in an entry. You can choose paper, metal, or canvas, and I think all three look good with the warm brown palette. Paper is the least expensive with a frame, metal is the most durable and striking, and canvas has a soft, textured look with little glare.
I am not going to claim this print belongs in any particular kind of home, but I do think it suits rooms that lean natural. Wood, leather, wool, and warm lighting all sit well with those browns. It could just as easily hang in a nature lover's study as in a cabin or a modern living room with earthy tones.
If you are shopping for someone else, it is a thoughtful gift for a person who loves birds, and it is a photograph made by a person, not generated by a computer. Prints start at $26.95 and ship in about 5 to 10 days. It is an open edition, and I try to sign each one, though I cannot always promise it.
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.
