AndrewKing

hawk with shrew

NIKON D90

Aperture f/6.3 ISO 500 Shutter 10/3200

upload_date

Feb, 2014

Views

253

Likes

+13

Awards

Editor's Choice

Member Selection Award

Awesome

Superb Composition

Absolute Masterpiece

Top Choice

Outstanding Creativity

Magnificent Capture

Jaw Dropping

Superior Skill

Top Ranks

Top 10 rank

Top 20 rank

Top 20 rank week 2

Top 20 rank week 1

See all

Same photographer See all Behind The Lens

Behind The Lens

Location

The photo was surprisingly taken using my car door for balance. I was on my way out for an afternoon of shooting (with my camera) in Northeastern Pennsylvania's State Game Lands when this red tail hawk crossed the dirt road less than 10 yards from my vehicle. I noticed that it appeared to be carrying prey, so I made sure no other vehicles were approaching, pulled to the side of the road, and shut my engine off. The hawk first flew from its original landing location to the one seen in the photo, leading to a better angle.

Time

The photo was taken early in the afternoon, which is another interesting element. It is more common to capture birds of prey feasting early in the morning or late in the day.

Lighting

There isn't much information to offer when it comes to the lighting. The photo was taken early in the afternoon on winter day. Don't "throw away" a day when lighting conditions are less than favorable. I recall a snowstorm being forecasted for the evening after taking this photo and the afternoon was gloomy, at best.

Equipment

The photograph was taken using a Nikon D90, with Tamron's 200-500mm F5.6-F6.3 lens, with a focal length at 500mm. Additionally, a 2010 Subaru stood in for my tripod this time!

Inspiration

As an avid nature photographer, I'm always scanning the landscape on my way to and from my favorite locations. This particular afternoon was no exception, and it simply led to "being at the right place at the right time."

Editing

I do very minimal post-processing. Most often, I correct some elements to make the image appear "as seen," such as exposure or white balance. Nowadays photographs published often present an over-saturation of colors. While I recognize the artistic value of adding such effects to photographs, I strive to present moments in nature that are reproduced just as they are seen at that moment.

In my camera bag

I always carry two cameras with me-one with a strong telephoto lens and the other with a wide angle lens. Additionally, I always have an external flash and macro lens in the bag.

Feedback

Take your camera with you everywhere! You never know when the next great shot might present itself in an instant! This hawk was not very patient with its fresh meal and clearly did not want to bothered while it dined. After snapping a few more photos within a few seconds of this one, the hawk was gone. The entire event lasted a minute at most. By having my camera in "a ready position," I was able to capture one of my favorite shots taken this year.

See more amazing photos, follow AndrewKing

AndrewKing

AndrewKing

hawk with shrew

Behind The Lens

See more amazing photos, follow AndrewKing

Share photos. Enter contests to win great prizes. Earn coins, get amazing rewards. Join for free.

Share photos. Enter contests to win great prizes.
Earn coins, get amazing rewards. Join for free.