Owl Photography: How to Ethically Create Beauitful Images

Feature photo: Short-eared owl hunting during the day in Alaska by Jaymi Heimbuch

If you ask most photographers who’ve just discovered the joy of birdwatching what they’d most like to photograph, odds are they’ll all be hooting about one thing: “owls!”

Yep, owls are absolute rock stars in the bird photography world—highly coveted and notoriously elusive. These gorgeous raptors of the night are the ultimate challenge for any wildlife photographer – including yours truly.

I’ve been a professional wildlife photographer for 15+ years and holy moly, owls are easily some of the toughest birds I’ve tried to photograph. Their variety and the unique challenges each species presents keeps photographers on their toes.

In this guide, I’ll walk you through the nitty-gritty of snapping stunning owl photos without annoying them or accidently taking part in no-no behaviors.

Stick with me, and you’ll have everything you need to photograph owls like a seasoned expert.

Contents

1. How to find owls to photograph
2. How to find owls to photograph
3. Techniques for great owl photos in the field
4. Camera settings for owl photography
5. What to avoid when photographing owls (and why it matters)
6. How to share your owl photos on social media
7. Why owls are amazing wildlife conservation ambassadors

People tend to overwhelm owls, since it’s so exciting to see them. Because of this, most photographers know better than to reveal the location of their subject.

The owl paparazzi scene can be cutthroat, and neither you nor I want to be responsible for stressing out these majestic birds. Revealing an owl’s location can disturb their natural behaviors and habitats, especially when lures like recorded calls or food are used.

In fact, many photographers who find an owl will shoot photos and not post them until weeks or even months later to protect the owl from crowds of photographers stressing it.

So, there’s some strategy to figuring out where to photograph owls without relying on crowds.

So, how do you discover owls in your area? A bit of reading and networking goes a long way.

Photo: Ray Hennessy/Shutterstock

The key to finding owls to photograph is understanding each species’ unique behavior, life cycle and habitat preferences. You’ll know where and when to look for the owls you’d most like to see. 

Start with field guides

Field guides are an essential tool for any bird photographer. They provide detailed information on physical characteristics and behaviors – and ever so importantly – range maps showing where the owls hang out.

When choosing a field guide, pick one that’s visually engaging and up-to-date. You want clear images of each species, with close-up views of key features like the facial disk, wings, and plumage.

Study those range maps to figure out which species are in your area.

Then, get to know your targets by focusing on:

• Feather coloration: Know your owls by their feather shades.
• Ear tufts: Do they have those adorable ear tufts or not?
• Roosting spots: Where do they like to chill during the day?
• Habitat preferences: Are they woodland lovers or open field fans?
• Diet: What are they snacking on?

For example, short-eared owls might be active during the day (bonus!), barred owls might perch lower in trees than you’d expect, snowy owls might hit the beach when they migrate, and great horned owls are freeloaders who squat in nests built by hawks.

Do your homework and soak up all the knowledge you can about the behavior and lifestyle of the owls you’re after.

Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s Birds of the World is also an incredible online resource. It provides in-depth information about each owl species, plus recordings of their vocalizations, which helps when you’re birding by ear.

Photo: kodec/Shutterstock

Become skilled at spotting sign and you’ll dramatically increase how frequently you photograph owls. Owl pellets, such as this one, are an exciting clue to discover in the field.

Learn to spot owl sign

To photograph owls successfully, you’ll need to become an expert at spotting signs of them in the landscape.

Look for Pellets

Keep an eye out for pellets, those lovely regurgitated bundles of bones and fur from their prey. Owls, being the tidy diners they are, spit these out near their roosting areas.

So, finding these round or oval-shaped nuggets on the ground is a good clue you’re in the right spot.

Spot the Whitewash

Another less charming but equally important sign is whitewash, which is owl poop, plain and simple. You’ll see this white splatter on trees, rocks, and other surfaces beneath their roosting areas.

Think of it as nature’s not-so-subtle signpost pointing you toward your feathered subject.

Study owl behavior

It’s also essential to learn the specific body language and owl’s behavior of different species. What does that owl look like when it’s chilling out, ready to pounce on prey, or feeling a bit freaked out?

Learn Owl Body Language

Knowing an owl’s behavior helps you predict key moments for compelling photos and informs you if YOU are the cause of an owl becoming stressed so you can adjust accordingly.

• Relaxed: Fluffy feathers, half-closed eyes, and a generally chill vibe.
• Alert for Hunting: Upright posture, intense stare, and those ear tufts may stand at attention.
• Nervous or Stressed: Flattened feathers, wide eyes, and shifting from foot to foot.

Listen to the Local Birds

The behavior of other birds can help you, too. Smaller birds tend to lose their minds when an owl is nearby—often swooping down to attack it in a behavior known as “mobbing.”

This feathered frenzy can be your auditory cue to an owl’s presence. Follow the racket, and you might just find yourself face-to-face with an owl.

Photo: Danita Delimont/Shutterstock

Owls are masters of camouflage, as this eastern screech owl demonstrates. But once you know what features in the landscape to look for, you’ll zero in on even the most well-hidden owls.

Birding apps, forums, and online birding communities

Plenty of birding groups and forums exist on Facebook and other social platforms. Some local birding groups even have WhatsApp chat groups or private forums where users share location information.

Join Birding Groups and Forums

Research groups in your area and lurk for a while to see how the users behave. Avoid groups that broadcast sensitive location information to large numbers of people.

The goal is to find those tight-knit communities where information is shared responsibly.

There can be genuine conflict between birders and bird photographers. And for fair enough reasons. Plenty of bad actors in the photography world ruin it for ethical photographers because they put the photo before the safety of the owl. Yuck.

So, be sure to show how you’re a bird-welfare-comes-first kind of bird photographer (because we know you are!) when you join in on group conversation.

Check Out eBird (With a Grain of Salt)

eBird, the bird sighting list site run by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, no longer publishes exact locations for some species. You may get an idea of where owls are from their range maps, but you won’t find a map with precise directions. It’s like a treasure hunt with fewer X marks the spots.

Network and Build Trust

Join in on local birdwatching groups and Bird Alliance (Audubon) chapters. Get to know fellow shutterbugs in these groups.

But know this: If you ask someone directly where they shot an owl photo, they are unlikely to tell you, especially if you ask that question on a public forum.

You need to prove you’re trustworthy and ethical before someone shares location information. 

For most of us, the fun of wildlife photography is in the search itself. It’s genuinely rewarding when you successfully locate your subjects on your own. Plus, it gives you a great story to tell when you finally capture that perfect owl shot.

Photo: Ray Hennessy/Shutterstock

While it’s tempting to focus on close-up shots, there’s beauty in photographing an owl in its habitat. With this burrowing owl positioned to the far left of the frame, viewers get a great sense of its grassy habitat. Experiment with shots that frame your subject small in its environment.

Capturing stunning owl photos requires patience, preparation, and a touch of finesse. Here’s how to elevate your owl photography game:

1. Use a Telephoto Lens

First things first: get yourself a long lens. Think of it as your owl photography superpower.

• Disturbance-Free Shooting: The goal is to shoot images of the owl without disturbing it. If you wake up a snoozing owl or make it puff up like a feathered balloon, you’re doing it wrong. A telephoto lens lets you stay far enough to keep your owl zen.
• Isolation: Owls love hiding in chaotic backgrounds like branches or grasses. A telephoto lens helps you cut through the clutter and make the owl the star of the show. Look for lenses with at least 300mm focal length. Popular choices include the Canon EF 100-400mm or the Nikon AF-S 200-500mm. These will give you the reach you need without getting too close.
• Low-Light Performance: Owls are nightlife aficionados. Prime telephoto lenses, with their wide apertures, are perfect for those twilight and moonlit moments. A lens with an aperture of f/2.8 to f/4 is ideal because it allows more light in, helping you shoot in low-light conditions.

Photo: Marek Rybar/Shutterstock

A photography blind is a great way to get closer to your subject without disturbing it. When you’ll be hanging out in an area with owl activity, use a pop-up blind and wait patiently. You’ll be that much more likely to photograph cool behaviors like hunting or preening.

2. Employ a Photography Blind

Want to go full stealth mode? Invest in a photography blind.

• Stealth Observation: A pop-up blind is like your portable owl-watching HQ. Owls won’t even know you’re there, so you can capture them being their most candid selves. Setting up your blind in a spot where owls are known to hunt or roost increases your chances of a successful shoot.
• Weather Protection: These blinds also shield you from the elements. Rain or shine, you’re comfy and dry. Plus, you’ll be less tempted to leave early because of bad weather.
• Recommended Gear: Check out Tragopan Photography Blinds. Co-designed by wildlife photography legend Gerrit Vyn, they’re top-notch for owl stalking. The Tragopan Grouse V+ is a great starter blind, easy to set up and transport.

3. Understand Owl Behavior

Knowledge is power, especially when it comes to owl behavior.

• Body Language: Get to know the signs. A relaxed owl will look pretty chill, while an alert one will be all eyes and ears, ready to pounce. If it puffs up and extends a wing, it’s telling you to back off. Observing these signs helps you predict their actions and capture key moments.
• Other Birds: Pay attention to the feathered neighborhood watch. Smaller birds love to mob owls, making a racket that can guide you to your elusive subject. Mobbing birds are like nature’s alarm system, alerting you to the presence of a predator nearby.

4. Scout and Stakeout

Patience is key. Pick a promising spot and settle in.

• Pattern Recognition: Owls are creatures of habit. Note their hunting patterns and perching spots. This will help you anticipate their movements. Spend time observing where they like to perch and hunt; this knowledge will pay off when you’re setting up for a shoot.
• Quiet Waiting: Silence is golden. Sit still, be quiet, and let the owl come to you. You’ll capture a range of natural behaviors this way. Bring a comfortable chair, dress warmly, and be prepared to wait. Patience is your best tool.

5. Utilize Creative Lighting

Dawn and dusk are your magic hours.

• Backlighting and Silhouettes: Use the low sun to your advantage. Backlighting can create stunning silhouettes, rimmed with golden light. Position yourself with the sun behind the owl to capture these dramatic effects.
• Low-Key and High-Key Photos: Go for dramatic, moody shots with low-key lighting or bright, airy ones with high-key techniques. Play around and see what works best. Low-key photos can highlight the owl’s intense gaze, while high-key shots can create a soft, ethereal feel.

6. Focus on Composition

Good composition turns a decent photo into a great one.

• Rule of Thirds: Position the owl off-center to create a more balanced and engaging composition. Imagine your frame divided into nine equal parts by two horizontal and two vertical lines. Place your subject along these lines or at their intersections.
• Depth of Field: A wide aperture will blur the background, making your owl pop against its natural habitat. This effect, known as bokeh, adds a professional touch to your photos. Experiment with different aperture settings to see what gives you the best results.

7. Practice Ethical Photography

Respect the owls and their environment. Always.

• Minimal Disturbance: Avoid getting too close or making loud noises. If the owl starts acting differently because of you, it’s time to back off. Use your telephoto lens to maintain a respectful distance.
• Post Processing: Share your photos responsibly. Don’t reveal exact locations to protect these majestic birds from overzealous photographers. Vague locations like “a forest in Oregon” work just fine.

Photo: Ray Hennessy/Shutterstock

It’s exciting to photograph owls at dawn and dusk because of the opportunities to play with backlight and side light. Experiment with underexposing to get silhouettes rimmed with gold.

Once you’re in position, it’s time to dial in camera settings ideal for owls. Here’s how to make sure you get those frame-worthy shots:

1. Get Comfortable with High ISO

Owls are the night owls of, well, the night. They’re most active during dawn, dusk, and the darker hours.

• High ISO Mastery: Be prepared to shoot at a higher ISO than you might normally choose. Use an ISO as high as your camera can handle without becoming too noisy. Modern cameras are pretty good at high ISOs, so don’t be afraid to crank it up. A good rule of thumb is to start around ISO 3200 and adjust as needed.
• Tripod or Monopod: These are lifesavers in low light. Owls can stay still for long periods, so you can use slower shutter speeds with a tripod to keep your ISO lower.
• Expose to the Right (ETTR): To avoid noisy images, expose to the right on your histogram without overexposing. This technique helps retain details in the shadows and reduces noise. Keep checking your histogram to ensure you’re getting the exposure right.

2. Use Your Widest Aperture

If you have a fast lens (f/4 or f/2.8), take advantage of it.

• Lower ISOs with Wide Apertures: Opening up to the widest aperture lets in more light, allowing you to use lower ISO settings. This is crucial for low-light photography.
• Shallow Depth of Field: While a wide aperture gives you a shallow depth of field, this works in your favor with owls, thanks to their disk-shaped faces. Focus on the eyes to get those compelling, sharp portraits that draw viewers in.

3. Play with Slow Shutter Speeds

When the light fades, get creative with your shutter speed.

• Slow Shutter for Artistic Effects: If it’s too dark for fast shutter speeds, try slowing down. For flight photos, you might need to go as slow as 1/1000 or even 1/800. For a truly artistic blur, experiment with 1/30 of a second. These slower speeds can create beautiful motion effects and add a unique touch to your images.
• Standard Flight Speeds: For most birds in flight, start at 1/2000. Depending on the light and desired effect, you can go down to 1/1600 or 1/1000. Owls’ slow, graceful flight makes them perfect subjects for slower speeds.

4. Remote Trigger and Tripod

Another technique is to set up your camera on a tripod and use a remote trigger to shoot while standing farther away.

• Remote Trigger: Use a remote trigger to snap photos while standing farther away. This minimizes disturbance and keeps you hidden from the owl’s view.
• Tripod Setup: Mount your camera on a tripod for stability, especially useful for long exposure times and high ISO settings. This setup also lets you relax and wait for the perfect moment without holding the camera constantly.

Whatever you can do to keep the owls safe should be your number one choice.

Photo: Kersti Lindstrom/Shutterstock

Great gray owls are an exciting species to photograph. Witnessing them quietly hunting over a snowy field is an exhilarating experience. When you’re patient, you’ll be rewarded with an owl swooping by or landing on the perfect perch for a portrait. 

While it’s vitally important to approach all wildlife photography ethically, owls seem particularly vulnerable to bad outcomes when humans don’t behave ethically.

Ideally, you don’t want to interfere with any creature’s natural behavior.

It can mean the difference between life and death for them, while it’s just a photograph to us.

Here’s how to avoid some common pitfalls:

1. Never Bait an Owl with Live or Dead Prey

An owl, like any creature accustomed to being fed by humans, is compromised. It may become dependent on humans for a meal or try to get closer to humans, leading to deadly consequences.

• Why It Matters: Feeding owls can make them dependent on humans, altering their natural hunting behaviors and putting them at risk. A friend of mine once joined a workshop to shoot snowy owl photos, not realizing they would be baiting the owls. Once she understood the cruelty of buying pet mice to toss out as food, she felt terrible. Don’t make the same mistake.
• What to Do Instead: If you see a workshop that guarantees great owl action shots, ask if they bait the owls. If they do, don’t book. Always opt for tours and workshops that prioritize ethical wildlife photography.

2. Avoid Using Recorded Calls

Some people will use their phones to play calls that might bring an owl to them. This is a bad practice if you care about birds.

• Why It Matters: Owls use their vocalizations to find out who is in the area, like an enemy or potential mate. Recorded calls can raise stress levels or distract the owl from hunting. An owl will investigate the sound, wasting precious energy and time.
• What to Do Instead: Do your research and spend time looking in the right places. Listen to recordings at home to become familiar with the calls, but don’t use them in the field. Use patience and stealth to get close-up photos without disrupting the owls.

Photo: Jaymi Heimbuch

When you find an owl actively hunting, pause to watch and see if there are patterns you can take advantage of. For instance, a short-eared owl may fly back and forth over the same area, looking for a meal. Noticing the flight pattern allows you to get in a position for great shots without disturbing the hunt. 

3. Avoid Photographer Jams

The presence of an owl can bring photographers out in droves, especially if it’s an unusual sighting, like snowy owls migrating.

• Why It Matters: Too many people make it harder for the owl to hunt or rest. Conversely, photographer jams can cause an owl to become habituated to people, leading it to be less wary of dangers like road traffic.
• What to Do Instead: Connect with private property owners who have owls on their land and get access permission. This way, you can enjoy watching and photographing owls without worrying about crowds.

  When you find an owl actively hunting, pause to watch and see if there are patterns you can take advantage of.

  For instance, a short-eared owl may fly back and forth over the same area, allowing you to position yourself for great shots without disturbing the hunt.

Photo: Fine Art Photos/Shutterstock

Burrowing owls are a great species to photograph as they’re is often active during the day. When you keep your distance, you’ll be rewarded with relaxed subjects and fantastic behavior shots like this moment of a burrowing owl parent feeding its young. 

4. Avoid Flash Photography

Using flash photography when photographing owls can have numerous adverse effects that could put the bird’s safety at risk.

• Why It Matters: Flash photography can cause stress to the owl, startle them, and disrupt their normal behavior. In low-light environments, flashing a bright light may scare away potential prey or attract predators.
• What to Do Instead: Consider this “limitation” an opportunity to get creative. Explore different photo technologies like infrared. For example, Morgan Heim’s story about northern spotted owls was photographed entirely in infrared, capturing natural moments in near darkness without using flash.

5. Be Extremely Careful When Photographing Nests

If you’re lucky enough to find an owl nest, never reveal the location and be very careful when nearby. Prioritize the safety and well-being of the owls by being extra cautious.

• Why It Matters: Young birds are vulnerable, and it’s easy to scare off a hard-working parent with a meal that means the difference between life and death.
• What to Do Instead: Use a long lens to photograph nests from afar. This minimizes disturbance and keeps you out of the owls’ space. If you decide to approach, do it quietly and use natural cover to remain hidden. If the parent owl is agitated, back away immediately. Never use a drone near a nest. Drones are perceived as predators and can stress the birds, potentially causing them to abandon the nest.

It’s common for fledgling owls to end up on the ground when learning to fly.If you come across a fledgling, back away and observe from a distance. Often, fledglings will climb back up to a safe perch.

Photo: Ray Hennessy/Shutterstock

Awkward but adorable, it’s an absolute joy to watch young owls figure out the world around them. Just take note to be extra aware of your behavior when you’re near an owl nest so as not to disturb.

6. Don’t Overstay Your Welcome

When you see your first owl, it can be tempting to stay too long in its presence. If you’re in a blind or standing quietly in one location, it might be okay to stay a while. But if you’re constantly jockeying for position to get a better, closer shot, odds are you are stressing the owl.

• Why It Matters: Prolonged presence can disrupt the owl’s natural behavior and alert other birds to its presence. It can also cause the owl to miss hunting opportunities.
• What to Do Instead: While everyone loves a good close-up, consider stepping back and taking wider-angle photos that reveal the owl in its environment. With today’s high-megapixel cameras, you can crop a wider shot to get the tight image you want.

Photo: Jaymi Heimbuch

When photographing an owl in flight, it’s easy to accidentally focus on its wings rather than its head. Use a single autofocus point or single-point plus assist to gain more control over exactly where your camera is focusing so you can get a tack-sharp eye.  

So, you’ve finally nailed that perfect owl shot, and you’re itching to share it with the world. Hold your horses! Before you hit ‘post,’ let’s make sure you’re not putting those beautiful birds at risk.

1. Strip Location Data from Your Photos

I can’t stress enough the importance of not sharing location information. If you don’t strip that info from your EXIF data, you might unwittingly share the owl’s exact location with everyone. And that’s a big no-no.

• Turn Off GPS: First, turn off GPS in your camera settings. This prevents location data from being attached to your photos.
• Use Software to Strip Data: If you forget to turn off GPS, you can still strip the location data using software like Lightroom. Open the image in Library mode, check the metadata, and remove the location info before exporting your images for social media or your website.

2. Delay Posting Your Photos

As tempting as it is to immediately share your amazing owl photo, sometimes it’s better to wait. Delaying your post can help protect the owls from a sudden influx of curious visitors.

• Wait a Bit: I often wait months before posting my owl photos. This helps ensure the owls aren’t disturbed by people flocking to the site.
• Think of the Owls: Remember, what’s just a photo to you can be a matter of life or death for the birds. Too many people knowing their location can lead to stress and harassment for the owls, who are just trying to survive.

I know, I know… you really want to show people what you shot. And you should! You worked hard to make it. But remember that what’s just a photograph to you can be life or death for birds that might get stressed or harassed by too many people.

So, take your time, share thoughtfully, and everyone—including the owls—benefits.

Photo: Jaymi Heimbuch

When you find a burrowing owl, it’s important to be extra respectful of space since not only did you find a burrowing owl but likely also its burrow! If you are extra careful and don’t cause it to abandon its home, you’ll be able to photograph it for hours – or weeks – on end!

Owls aren’t just compelling to photograph because of their cool disk-shaped faces and their uncanny ability to turn their heads 270 degrees.

They’re also indicator species that alert us to the health of an environment. If owls are declining, it’s a sign of bigger environmental issues like habitat loss and dwindling food sources.

• Environmental Indicators: Owls are like nature’s health inspectors. Their presence (or absence) can tell us a lot about the state of an ecosystem.
• Educational Ambassadors: Owls are fantastic ambassadors for teaching people about nature and inspiring them to care. Take the northern spotted owl in the Pacific Northwest, for example. Its decline due to logging sparked major environmental efforts. Even though logging has decreased in many areas, the spotted owl now faces threats from barred owls moving in.

Photo: Jaymi Heimbuch

Even common species like barred owls are thrilling to find and photograph. There’s just something about them that stands out from other raptors. It’s a joy to not only photograph owls, but simply witness them living out their extraordinary lives.

Final Thoughts

Photographing owls is an incredible adventure that brings you closer to nature. But remember, with great photos comes great responsibility. Keep it ethical: strip location data, avoid baiting and recorded calls, steer clear of photographer jams, and respect the owls’ space.

Owls are not just photo subjects; they’re conservation ambassadors showing us the health of our ecosystems. Whether you’re capturing a great horned owl at dusk or a burrowing owl’s curious stare, your actions matter.

So gear up, be patient, and always put the owls’ well-being first. Share your photos thoughtfully and set an example for others.

Happy shooting!