Going in for the kill

[windzup]

Barnowl_HDR by Rob Tomlin, on Flickr

 

[Overread40]

Curious about the name, HDR -is that in reference to "hdr photography"?

Lighting looks like a well placed flash illuminated the owl in challenging lighting (based on how dark the background is). Indeed you've really captured the colours and richness of colour very well (perhaps a touch "over" rich compared to reality but not horribly so).
I'd have cropped the top and right side though; they are empty areas which really aren't giving much toward the photo, whilst all our attention is on the owl which is heading and looking into the lower left corner. So I'd crop the waste space away.

 

[Havana]

Well captured.

 

[windzup]

The owl is a regular visitor so I placed a flash on a branch just above and in front of his regular perch and then waited for what seemed an age. Ideally I needed more space to the left but I didn’t get it silly mistake on my part. I just thought maybe leaving the space on the right sort of gave it some depth and you can see where the Owl has come from otherwise I think the crop would be to tight and it could have been an Owl in a zoo but that just my thoughts on it I’m new to this so I’m always interested to hear opinions from more experienced photographers so a big thank you for taking your time to reply

 

[Overread40]

I do see what your saying, though honestly there isn't any "story" in the right/upper side of the photo to give context to where the bird came from. Indeed the eye tends to draw more toward the intended direction of travel/eye focus rather than the area behind.

 

[windzup]

Point taken I will give it another go and try to position the Owl in the top right

 

[MSnowy]

Very nice!