Dutch photographer Hannie Heere recently captured an adorable photo of a baby barn owl mid-run, and the image quickly went viral online.
Heere, a 63-year-old photographer from the city of Dordrecht in The Netherlands, has always enjoyed photography, but she began taking it seriously after her children became adults and left home. She focused primarily on nature and wildlife photography, taking courses and workshops to improve her skills.
On May 28th, Heere was out photographing barn owls when she spotted a confident small owl chick nearby. The fluffy, white-downed bird was working on developing its muscles before learning to fly, and had apparently decided to do so by going for a run. Heere captured the moment from a distance of about 16 feet, using a Canon 5D Mark IV DSLR and a Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS lens at f/8, 1/1000s, and ISO 200.
The photo went viral after Heere published it online, with the adorable image being widely shared across social media and even used as a meme. Heere says she was surprised by the photo’s popularity and would love to be able to turn her nature photography into a profession.
For Heere, capturing the moment of the baby barn owl mid-run was a testament to the beauty and wonder of nature, and she hopes to continue capturing similar moments in the future.
