BIRD PHOTOGRAPHY | SHARP Owl photos | PRO tips using the BEST camera settings for wildlife: Nikon Z9

[@MattShannonPhoto]

I really wanted to fly my drone to show you the landscape but the wind was too strong and the temperatures too cold. Thanks everyone for watching!

[@hayleighshannon1820]

I love snowy owls! good find

[@MattShannonPhoto]

I wish you were there to see them. Freezing cold but epic to see

[@jonstout7635]

This deserves 100,000 thumbs!

[@MattShannonPhoto]

Awesome!! HUGE Thank you! 100,000 👍 is killer, I don't know how I am going to beat that.

[@lukeiamyourfather7736]

Your Zig Zag animation is the best!

[@MattShannonPhoto]

Thank you! I had a lot of fun making it 😂. Perhaps more in future videos? What do you think

[@shaniarados6909]

Wow. These owls are incredible.I like the one where he is giving you the side eye!

[@MattShannonPhoto]

haha same, bashful owl. Blushing from all of the photographs ☺️

[@MrTmiket0007]

Thanks for sharing another wonderful video like always 👍

[@MattShannonPhoto]

Thank you Miguel! I hope to keep the good videos rollin 😃. I still have a few more episodes from my Canadian Rockies trip. Spring is here and warmer weather brings new exciting content to share.

[@Sandra-qy7rf]

Epic!! What a fantastic video of the snowy owl. There are so many. That first shot where there is two, one after another sitting on the telephone poles, great find!

[@MattShannonPhoto]

Thank you so much for your kind words and for taking the time to watch my video! I was thrilled to capture footage of these majestic snowy owls in their natural habitat, and it's always exciting to come across multiple owls in one location. I'm glad you enjoyed the shot of the two owls perched on the telephone poles - it was a lucky find! Thanks again for your support and I hope you continue to enjoy my content in the future!

[@surfintom]

Amazing birds! Their eyes are sooooo cool

[@MattShannonPhoto]

They are, along with their white feathers and black beak. They look like they are smiling depending on their head tilt 😃

[@Jessehermansonphotography]

That shot at 10:05 would have been so EPIC if the owl was coming at you. Dang.

[@MattShannonPhoto]

oh man.... I know right!! Kinda hurt seeing everything come together except for the direction of the owl 😄. Something to look forward to capturing next year.

[@lauracolette]

-30! that's dedication, Matt! What a gorgeous owl!

[@MattShannonPhoto]

Yeah....pretty chilly lol. I had a lot of layers...it was just my hands that suffered the most pain.

[@GiuseppeGessa]

Great video, as well as owls, one of my favourite raptors.

[@MattShannonPhoto]

Same here. So quiet and stealthy as they fly and hunt. I wish I caught some chase action on camera but it leaves me wanting more for next time 😃. Thanks for watching and the comment, cheers!

[@BudBetz]

A cold outstanding adventure. If you dress for the cold, it just isn’t that cold feeling. Great video Matt!

[@MattShannonPhoto]

I'm glad you enjoyed the snowy adventure and found it to be a great experience. You are absolutely right that dressing properly for the cold can make all the difference and allow you to fully appreciate the beauty of the snowy landscape and its inhabitants, like the majestic snowy owls. Thank you for your support and I hope you continue to enjoy my content!

[@rcgrant9310]

Matt, Such great stills & video clips of the majestic owls. Thank you for taking the time & effort to share.

[@MattShannonPhoto]

Thank you so much for your kind words! I really enjoyed creating this episode. Snowy owls are one of the most striking and recognizable owl species, with their pure white feathers, piercing yellow eyes, and black beaks. Fun to photograph and share. Thanks for watching!

[@TubeThings]

These photos are breathtaking! Such beautiful birds!

[@MattShannonPhoto]

You are too kind thank you so much! 😊 They truly are stunning creatures, and it was a pleasure to capture them. Thank you for your comment and watching my video! Cheers.

[@SteveHedgesPhotography]

Great video Matt, what a fantastic bird of prey. All the best, Steve.

[@MattShannonPhoto]

Huge thank you Steve! I appreciate the kind words and your time to leave a comment. Have a great day.

[@lauriefish58]

Stunning video Matt, love the Snowies, they are so on my bucket list. Thanks for your hard work and freezing!!

[@MattShannonPhoto]

Thank you so much for your kind words and feedback on the video! Snowy Owls are truly magnificent birds and I'm glad to hear they're on your bucket list as well. They can be challenging to photograph, but it's always worth the effort to capture their beauty. And yes, it was definitely cold out there, but it's all part of the adventure and the joy of wildlife photography. Heated gloves is on my list 😄

[@DeneRossouw]

An educational and artistic production. A lot of work go into these videos. Exquisite captures. Thanks Matt.

[@MattShannonPhoto]

Thank you for your comment! I'm glad you found my video educational and artistic, and I appreciate your kind words about my photography. Very encouraging!

[@allenfutrelle9090]

Greatly enjoyed!!

[@MattShannonPhoto]

Epic! So glad to hear it thank you! Cheers

[@vinothbv5135]

Awesome work Matt!

[@MattShannonPhoto]

Thank you so much! I appreciate it, cheers!

[@tomisframes]

Its a dream to see that insane owl. Congratulations mate!

[@MattShannonPhoto]

Thank you very much! I loved every minute of it, thanks for watching! Cheers

[@paulkirk5760]

Great images and field craft, respecting the subject.

[@MattShannonPhoto]

Thank you Paul!

[@TheWildlifeGallery388]

great vid - as always

[@MattShannonPhoto]

Thanks again! I appreciate you comment every time thanks!

[@michaelchabot9129]

Thank you for this segment there Matt.... my favorite birds. Unfortunately I have not seen any here for awhile...

[@MattShannonPhoto]

Thank you sir! Really, none where you are, that is unfortunate! I couldn't believe there were so many where I was outside of Calgary. Do you use the Ebird app?

[@matthewbell1968]

Great video that, we saw them in Didsbury AB, tracking them against a white background was a nightmare but at -35 i didn't really care it was amazing to watch them! 🦉🦉

[@MattShannonPhoto]

Awesome, someone who shares my pain and excitement in the freezing cold 😆. Was that this year or in a previous year you saw them?

[@ДмитрийСальников-з6л]

Thank you very much!👍

[@MattShannonPhoto]

You are welcome! I appreciate the comment and thanks for watching! Cheers

[@ashfield001]

Nice to find you Matt. Love your work. Following.

[@MattShannonPhoto]

Thank you and welcome to the community! Be sure to share any thoughts or ask any questions. If I can't answer you, perhaps someone else has the answer :)

[@celeritasc9207]

Beautiful images and video. Lucky you to be in an area with so many snowy owls. I managed a few shots of one here in southern Ontario but it was just sitting on a pier. I waited freezing for about 3 hours for it to fly before I gave up. They are around but the sightings are rare and sporadic,. I ventured out many times looking but only managed a dock shot. But, that is fine. I enjoy trying and it will be next winter’s challenge.

[@MattShannonPhoto]

Thank you so much for your positive feedback! I feel fortunate to be able to capture images and videos of the snowy owls in their natural habitat. I can relate to the challenge of photographing these magnificent creatures, as they can be elusive and difficult to find. It's great to hear that you've also had a chance to observe and photograph them, even if it was just sitting on a pier. I agree that the pursuit of capturing the perfect shot can be a rewarding challenge, and I hope you have more success in your next attempt. Thank you again for your kind words and for sharing your own experiences with snowy owls.

[@dah7772]

Great video Matt. You are really making me wish work would send me out to Calgary again. Looks like you could use a TC to get a little closer to them. Incredible photos. Just awesome

[@MattShannonPhoto]

Thank you for your feedback on the video! As for a TC , I do own one (Nikon TC 1.4 III) but I haven't gotten the fine focus tuning nailed down, and the focus seems to be a little off. Now that I own the Z9, I need to spend some time in my back yard testing it again but I appreciate your suggestion very much! And I'm glad you enjoyed the photos. Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts!

[@roypriest3768]

Great video, I enjoyed my time with these owls. Two minor corrections, owls have wings not arms and there are no prairie dogs except for a small introduced colony around Edmonton. 7:42

[@edbritelight7683]

Hello Matt…again amazing images and footage. Just love watching ❤Did you again use your „portrait mode image stacking procedure“ for the pano images?? Just wondering…

[@MattShannonPhoto]

Thank you again for you kind words, I am glad you like the short video. Funny you should ask! I only used that technique on one image. I was too far away for most shots that stitching wasn't required. There are more images I haven't had the time to view and edit so we will see. It worked out well considering the landscape doesn't change much at all to deal with any inconsistencies ☺️

[@dennisborowski7872]

There will be no prairie dog hunting for that snowy they all sleeping till spring. Appreciate you putting down your settings i use a z8 with spare batteries. Love your site

[@mustafakasapoglu]

Hello Matt. It was a great video. What a great joy to watch the beautiful owl. Is there any chance to capture in mid April? As I have a plan to visit Toronto? Is it too late?

[@MattShannonPhoto]

Thank you for your kind words, I appreciate it! It might depend on how long the snow and cool weather lasts. There is a facebook group called "Snowy Owls of Southwestern Ontario" where people post recent images of snowy owls. I would monitor that as well as another facebook group called "Ontario Owls". One last thing you can monitor is an app called Ebirds. You might find yourself lucky this year! Be sure to follow up if you find any!! Good luck

[@MattShannonPhoto]

I just did a search on Facebook and on Instagram of snowy owls in Ontario in April and there were posts in previous years during the first and second week of April. snow was melted but some nice shots of snowy owls in trees. I hope that helps.

[@mustafakasapoglu]

@@MattShannonPhoto Dear Matt, thank you so much. I am following the groups and checking the possibilities together with ebird. I really appreciate for your reply and cooperation. I am looking forward to watch your next video. Thank you.

[@MattShannonPhoto]

So great to hear! Thanks for joining the community. See you on the next episode.

[@eyeguyeyeguy1]

Nice. Did you meter off the snow first, then just check the histo and push the exposure as far right as you can?

[@MattShannonPhoto]

I shoot manual mode with Auto ISO. My metering is set to Matrix (Nikon's Matrix, Canon is Evaluative Metering mode, and Sony is multi-Pattern metering mode) and I take a test shot to then look at the histo like you mentioned and push it a zone or two to the right. Baiscally we are saying the same thing but I'm babbling on about it in nonsense detail 😆. Nice thing about mirrorless is that whatever I see through the viewfinder I get as an exposure and I select histogram to be shown on my display. Nice little setup. Thank you for the question, I hope what I said makes sense. Cheers!

[@eyeguyeyeguy1]

@@MattShannonPhoto yes, makes sense. I shoot Canon R5 mirrorless. Snow can be tricky.

[@MattShannonPhoto]

R5 is a stellar camera! Yea snow is tricky. I’d love to try both the Z9 and R5 together in the field. Been a while since I’ve played around with a canon. Specs and reviews are solid. You must have a lot of fun with it.

[@erod707]

What did you have your exposure comp setting to?

[@MattShannonPhoto]

I adjusted my exposure comp by +1 or +2 stops. Some scenes the camera would under expose by a lot depending on the amount of snow in my landscape. Great question thank you.

[@sarahgruntmeir]

Curious to the locations you’ve shot-have you ever run into issues with property owners? Are they accepting when they see the camera?

[@MattShannonPhoto]

I have not faced any problems with the local residents, which was fortunate for me as I had previously resided in the area and was visiting a friend who could assist me. The properties were extensive, and as long as I avoided taking photos in someone's backyard while acres of fields were nearby, no one objected. During my three-day shoot as the only wildlife photographer in the area, I received a warm reception from the locals who greeted me with smiles and waves, and even offered suggestions on where to spot the next wildlife sightings. It was an excellent experience!

[@lauracolette]

Out of curiosity, do temperatures that low affect your camera gear? Thinking about how my phone will turn itself off if it's too cold.

[@MattShannonPhoto]

Great question Laura. I had no problems at all! My battery life slowed down a little bit...I'm not sure what percentage by....perhaps 15-20% due to the colder weather. Below is a list of my gear and the results from memory: Z9 - Hardly noticed a snow down. Batteries are so large and good that it worked just fine. I have a third party Z9 battery and I noticed it more...say 5-10% less battery life Sony A7c - Battery did very well for how small it was. Sony battery I hardly noticed a slow down but the third party ones it was like 15% less. Iphone 12 - 14 months old, it had no problems....probably because it was in my pocket warm most of the time :) Gopro 7 - 90% battery loss lol. Their batteries SUCK in the cold. I might get 1-2 mins out of it before it dies. Nikon D850 - Batteries are a lot older but they still did ok. 40% loss on the older ones and 20% loss on the newish ones from Nikon. I did keep spare batteries warm in my inner jacket pocket for when the camera did come close to dying. I hope that helps! What camera do you shoot with right now?

[@lauracolette]

@@MattShannonPhoto Wow, well that's good to hear most of your gear was relatively unaffected! I can imagine how the GoPro would suffer though, haha. Even at the best of times, the battery sucks. I bought a used D7500 after the grizzly trip in 2021 (since my D7000 suffered permanent water damage!), so I use that with the telephoto lens. The D7000 still works but buttons aren't always reliable, so I use it for landscape since changing settings doesn't need to be as urgent! I also started playing around with a DJI Mini 2 that my partner got me; I used it recently to capture the beautiful turquoise blues of the herring run!

[@MattShannonPhoto]

In the future I think I’ll be going with DJI for my sports action small cameras instead of the GoPro.

[@naderfahd]

😂awesome

[@MattShannonPhoto]

Thanks!