A Hawk's Snowy Eve
Nov, 2017Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
This beautiful hawk was taken on the edge of my back yard just in the woods. The snow was coming down softly and I snapped several pics of him on this speckled limb.Time
This was on a cold snowy day at late afternoon and the snow is just drifting down. The hawk seemed satisfied to pose and "commune" with me as he watched the falling snow around him. It was serene with the woods as a backdrop and reminding me of "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Eve" by Robert Frost.Lighting
Fortunately the sun was not out shining bright so the softness of the light on the snow seemed to make the shot "feel" softer overall. The silence of the snow and the scene made it all the better. It seemed almost a "mystical" moment frozen in time. I still feel a sense of satisfaction and quiet exuberance when I consider this hawk and his beautiful coat of colors!Equipment
Hand held pic with my Nikon D90 and Nikon DX lens: AF-S Nikkor 55-300mm 1:4.5-5.6GED zoom lens. No flash. Just natural light on edge of the woods.Inspiration
Hawks have always been a favorite subject and are my favorite bird. To me they represent a messenger and/or harbinger, a sign that God is watching over you. Just the other day I was thinking that I hadn't seen a hawk in a week or two or more... and it made me kind of sad and "out of touch." The next day I saw one, the next day two, and one every day since. This is inspiration to me and confirmation. The hawk sat there for quite some time just letting me take his pic. His calm demeanor had a quieting effect on my spirit as I came out on the back deck, watched him and took his picture. Time stood still.Editing
Did not do any special processing with filters of any kind. Only a small amount of cropping.In my camera bag
My D90 with two lens (sometimes three, including zooms and macro - all Nikon) Mount for tripod, SD cards, Flash Drive, cleaning supplies, connector for USB to computer.Feedback
Always be on the lookout for wildlife. Birds are my favorite, so I scan the skies and listen for birdsong or the cry of a hawk! I also love to photograph Pileated Woodpeckers, Hummingbirds and many other beautiful birds. The sounds of bird watching should be brought to mind for the particular bird you are photographing. The Cack-Cack-Cack-Cack of the Pileated, the distinct sound of the sapsucker or jay, a buzzing, zipping sound as a hummingbird swoops by! The juxtaposition of hawk screaming above to hawk silently sitting in the snowy day brings a balance to life. Trying to "balance" the actual photo with the particular feeling you think it will evoke is more natural than it sounds!
