There is a barn owl that sits on a fence near my house just about every night. I'd like to get a picture of this beautiful creature but, I am concerned that a flash might adversely impact the bird. IMO, there is no image worth hurting an animal to capture.

Think of it as artificial lightning. Storms don't hurt owls unless they are struck by lightning, neither will a flash.

Glad you're thinking of the safety of your subjects.

Flash is fine for birds of all sorts, but with owls, on-camera flash can be problematic because of eye-shine. You'll need to get the flash well off camera to avoid it.

Hi Richard,

I think you are raising a good question. The answer is probably 'no.'. Many bird photos incorporate flash. Generally I never use flash when shooting wildlife as I don't want to spook the critters. However, most of my pet work does. Now that i think about it, It seems like I make a bit of an irrational distinction...

BTW, a lot of birders use a product called a 'Better Beamer' to extend the reach of their flash.

James

Only if you chuck it at him.

Roman

The flash might hurt his night vision for a minute if you are taking photos in the dark, other than that there should be no side effects.