Seattle Times reader Mark Wangerin’s photo of a curious owl near Stanwood.
Photographer: Mark Wangerin, Seattle
Photo taken: Jan. 5, Leque Island, near Stanwood
Photographer’s description: “I have never seen a short-eared owl do this! I found a preferred perch, sat down on the frozen ground and waited. The owl hunted and returned numerous times. Here it is looking right at me and wondering ‘What are you doing?’ Photographed with Nikon D7100 with Tamron 150-600mm lens set at 150mm.”
Katie’s critique: “Ha! I love this moment and those eyes! The long lens, even at its shortest length, creates a clean image, allowing the owl to be brought forward and separated from the background. All of the lines in this photo are really nice, from the subtle reeds in the background to the dark feathers, which all lead you to that clearly defined face. Such a fun and beautiful photo!”