Great Black Hawk, juv.

Gallery: AvianPosted January 3, 2016147 views12 comments

Here's a young Great Black Hawk from the Pantanal of Brazil. This shot is a good example of how much of the wildlife in the Pantanal is very approachable because there hasn't been any hunting there in many years. We slowly approached this young Black Hawk on a sandbar eventually getting close enough for head shots. This is about 90% of FF
Canon 7D2, 500F4 1/1600 F6.3, iso 400, handheld from boat

Comments

12 comments

Comment posted by Cay-Uwe Kulzer on January 3, 2016 at 11:36 AM

Nate,

you should try something like this here in Germany. It is nearly impossible and for me going to USA is like you describing this experience in the Panatanal.

Very nice portrait and I especially like the pose which makes the image more diffrent to so many closeups of birds.

Registered on January 27, 2004, 494 Posts, 4021 Comments

Comment posted by Jerry Austin on January 3, 2016 at 11:45 AM

Lovely portrait Nate. Love the detail. Well done.

Registered on January 6, 2012, 651 Posts, 3448 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Ditch on January 3, 2016 at 12:03 PM

Remarkable with a wild bird. Nice detail and exposure.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 1031 Posts, 12705 Comments

Comment posted by Hans Overduin on January 3, 2016 at 12:13 PM

Wow, sounds like a treat, being able to get that close in the wild ! Nice way of showing us devil

, the head-turn is great ! cheers, Hans

Registered on August 31, 2011, 491 Posts, 3807 Comments

Comment posted by Philip Hodgkins on January 3, 2016 at 12:32 PM

Near perfect out of the camera! Cay-Uwe very nicely took the words out of my mouth in his last paragraph: "...I especially like the pose which makes the image more different to so many closeups of birds." devil

Registered on July 24, 2006, 2741 Posts, 12349 Comments

Comment posted by Kurt Bowman on January 3, 2016 at 12:59 PM

Sounds like a fun place to photograph Nate! I like the head turn and the light in the eye.

Registered on June 19, 2008, 1005 Posts, 8028 Comments

Comment posted by Jim DeWitt on January 3, 2016 at 1:01 PM

I've been lucky enough to photograph birds all over the Western Hemisphere, and I agree the Pantanal is unique in the approachability of the avifauna. And many of the boat operators along the river channels and slough are highly skilled at closely approaching the birds and getting you good angle and the right angle to the light. A late afternoon river trip along Rio Cristalino is amazing.

It almost makes the pain of getting a Brazil entrance visa worth it.

Nice portrait. The bird's focus away from you really helps the image.

Registered on August 28, 2006, 1240 Posts, 8506 Comments

Comment posted by Pete Bengeyfield on January 3, 2016 at 1:35 PM

Nicely done. The stare makes this one. Question: Does the fact that his beak isn't outlined against the BG, detract from the image? I usually think it does and was wondering whay others think.

Registered on December 2, 2003, 1247 Posts, 3439 Comments

Comment posted by Dennis Plank on January 3, 2016 at 4:09 PM

Excellent job keeping the focus where it needed to be, Nate. A very neat head shot.

devil

Registered on January 28, 2008, 1767 Posts, 23192 Comments

Comment posted by Nate Chappell on January 3, 2016 at 4:15 PM

Thanks for your comments everyone. Pete I think it would be a bit stronger if the beak was outlined by the sky but from this angle I think it still works well.

Registered on February 1, 2006, 1158 Posts, 19528 Comments

Comment posted by Steve Thompson on January 4, 2016 at 8:19 PM

Excellent portrait Nate! Detail in the hawk is amazing. Perfect bg too! devil

Registered on August 7, 2014, 125 Posts, 2319 Comments

Comment posted by Robert Ryan on January 13, 2016 at 2:16 PM

Incredible to think this is a 500mm hand held from a boat. I love the view angle and the tilt to the birds head. Nice crop, the positioning is perfect. Beautiful photo.

Registered on January 13, 2016, 9 Posts, 21 Comments