Red-shouldered Hawk Portrait

"Nothing Exciting", "Nothing Exciting"!!!
Steve it is a beautiful shot, lovely clarity, I would be over the moon to get shots like this.

If this is your unexciting shot of a hawk, I wonder what your exciting one would look like...Amazing shot and lovely scenery.

Super Good Steve,

Wow Steve! Another awesome example of your unbelievable photographic skills.

Your work inspires me to become a better photographer. After studying your work it's apparent that you choose the best light of the day and the most flattering angles to capture your subjects. I now spend much more time with the birds that I photograph, studying their behavior to learn their body language and comfort zones. I put more into my strategies, I get as close to the birds as they will allow. I study the areas were I plan to capture the bird to determine where I should be for favorable lighting, angles and composition. When possible I wait for the best light of the day, the warm morning and evening light. I end up with a lot more keepers this way.

I want to thank each and every one of you for the very nice comments.

By "nothing exciting" I was only referring to the lack of action and/or prey in the shot. I love the shot and I was thrilled to be able to approach this bird. I hear them almost daily near my home and around the areas that I regularly shoot at but I rarely get a look at one. Florida has so many incredible settings to shoot in and the birds are far more approachable for the most part, not to mention in greater numbers.

sliceotime wrote in post #17095008
Wow Steve! Another awesome example of your unbelievable photographic skills.

Your work inspires me to become a better photographer. After studying your work it's apparent that you choose the best light of the day and the most flattering angles to capture your subjects. I now spend much more time with the birds that I photograph, studying their behavior to learn their body language and comfort zones. I put more into my strategies, I get as close to the birds as they will allow. I study the areas were I plan to capture the bird to determine where I should be for favorable lighting, angles and composition. When possible I wait for the best light of the day, the warm morning and evening light. I end up with a lot more keepers this way.

Slice, that's one of the nicest compliments I've ever received for my work. Thank you very much. Your approach to your wildlife work is much the same as mine. When you approach this in that way you're giving yourself the best possible chance for success. It doesn't always pay off but when it does there's a definite feeling of pride that you used skill and a solid plan to get it done. Even when it doesn't pay off the experience is often a big reward in itself. Keep up the great work.