Backlit Coopers Hawk

Gallery: AvianPosted March 26, 2011148 views10 comments

There is a very small marshy area near an elementary school in Buckingham, Pa that I often stop at in the mornings on my way to work. This day, I spotted this hawk sitting very low to the ground in a small tree searching for his morning breakfast. I was only a little late for work.

50D, 500mm, Iso 320, 1/200, F5 Bean bag, 7:50AM
Please see LARGER version.

Comments

10 comments

Comment posted by Keith A Anderson on March 26, 2011 at 10:45 PM

Love the stare, Sharon! Super detail and a very complimentary bg showing typical habitat.

Registered on February 13, 2006, 166 Posts, 1818 Comments

Comment posted by Peter Conway on March 27, 2011 at 12:38 AM

This is very nice. You did a great job with getting all the detail with the backlighting. The eyes are wonderful! The BG really works in terms of color tone.

Define "only a little late"

Peter

Registered on June 25, 2007, 347 Posts, 3913 Comments

Comment posted by richard remington on March 27, 2011 at 10:06 AM

Sharon,

Great red shouldered shot. I love the eyes and soft lighting which really bring out the details.

Rick

Registered on March 12, 2010, 105 Posts, 368 Comments

Comment posted by Cheryl Molennor on March 27, 2011 at 12:52 PM

The eyes really stand out in the laerger version.Lighting is a little off for me but nice image just as well

Registered on June 30, 2009, 300 Posts, 5051 Comments

Comment posted by Ron Bielefeld on March 27, 2011 at 2:47 PM

I like the backlighting here Sharon. Nice detial in the bird too. My only very small nit is the brightest areas of plumage are just a bit too bright for my taste. I am sure you could bring those areas down if you so choose. Cool shot overall.

Registered on December 6, 2008, 360 Posts, 7132 Comments

Comment posted by Hali Sowle on March 27, 2011 at 8:12 PM

Wow, what a great stare it's got for you. Beautiful job with the back lighting and getting those nice tones and all that detail..

Registered on January 9, 2008, 36 Posts, 582 Comments

Comment posted by S Govindarajan on March 27, 2011 at 10:56 PM

You got some tremendous eye contact in this image, Sharon. I like the contrast between them and the rest of the image that is fairly monochromatic.

Registered on April 19, 2008, 115 Posts, 1921 Comments

Comment posted by Dan Walters on March 27, 2011 at 11:39 PM

Love the eye contact! Worth being just a little late, right?

Registered on October 30, 2005, 405 Posts, 3693 Comments

Comment posted by Avi Hirschfield on March 28, 2011 at 8:13 AM

I think you were on time and not a little late.
Beautifull habitat shot and love that lighting

Registered on November 1, 2003, 518 Posts, 2114 Comments

Comment posted by Jay Levin on March 28, 2011 at 7:31 PM

Considering the backlighting, the details on the hawk are excellent, Sharon. My guess is the clipped feather highlights have no detail in this light, and I wouldn't worry about them, as they are equivalent to specular highlights. The eye contact is superb.

Registered on April 24, 2009, 21 Posts, 184 Comments