In keeping with the bird theme from yesterday, I thought I'd post this very elusive (to shoot) Red-shouldered Hawk. I think I forgot to mention that we also saw him at Sawgrass. This guy just sat there with his back turned to us and I can 't tell you how long I waited for him to turn his head enough to get a decent shot of him.I tried going in front of him, then on the side of him and everywhere I tried, he was blocked by brush. This was the only angle I could catch him, so I was forced to wait until he turned his head. I got only 2 shots off while he was looking in my direction. The rest of the time, he was preening and just ignoring our presence. I'm sure he knew we were there.
Among all the things you learn when you take up photography the two most important are patience and quick reflexes. You need to be ready because you may only have a split second to get the shot. I think I may have mentioned this before, but it bears repeating; the hunt is as much fun if not more fun than the getting the shot itself. That's the reason my passion lies in nature photography--even though it's family photography that pays the bills.
Settings used for this shot were ISO 400, aperture priority, partial metering off the bird, 1/200 at F7.1 to ensure I was using my lens' sweet spot and +2 stops exposure compensation because he was backlit by the sky and in a dark area with a lot of foliage around him. I shot this through the only hole in the foliage I could find.
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4 comments:
As witness to this hawk's indifference to our cameras, I commend you on this amazing shot. Patience is certainly the key! And being ready! Oh, and +2 stops exposure compensation! Really nice, Loyce! Great explanation.
Thank you, Margo. You're right--patience and readiness, along with a quick trigger finger and this is the results.
I had so much fun with you that day. Your excitement was what made the day for me. I can't wait to do it again. :)
You are so right. Particularly with nature photography, patience is mandatory, and so are fast reflexes. And it is so rewarding when you are finally able to snag that perfect shot in a split second! Once again, your composition here is beautiful. Love how you've positioned this guy in the picture and how the branches frame him and lead your eye right to him.
Thank you, Karen. When we have white skies, we need to make up for it with strong composition. Your comments are truly appreciated.
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