Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III__EF50mm f/2.5 Compact Macro__1/3 sec at f / 32
On Monday, not long after the snowstorm had cleared off, I heard a loud crashing noise outside my house. Both my 8 year old son and I were alarmed and so we looked out the front door where we thought the sound had come. We saw nothing at first. On occasion, we have quail fly into a window. Searching further, we looked out a narrow window in my living room, we saw a sad site. A Cooper’s hawk lay on the ground, twitching in its last moments before dying.
As a memorial to this beautiful creature, I made this photograph of its wing feathers. The late afternoon sun backlit the feather patterns. I did not want this life to pass without a tribute to its elegance.
Bill
http://www.williamneill.com/
February 5, 2010 at 1:10 PM
Thanks Radek!
February 5, 2010 at 7:53 AM
Sad event, thank you for sharing it with so much elegance…
December 10, 2009 at 11:39 AM
Thanks Thomas and Rhoda!
December 10, 2009 at 9:06 AM
Beautiful that you expressed the beauty of this creature and also personal vision.
December 10, 2009 at 4:32 AM
A great tribute Bill, this is a very nice image and I really like the backlight.
December 9, 2009 at 10:23 PM
Thanks. Sad event but inspiring subject…
December 9, 2009 at 9:29 PM
Very, very touching tribute. Death is never a pleasant subject to capture, but you did so beautifully.
Thank you.
December 9, 2009 at 7:57 PM
Two things that amaze me is how nature creates these wonderful patterns. Weather they are fern fronds, hillsides or feathers these patterns are infinite. The other, is how we can interpret and capture these forms through photography. This a great example of that, a memorial indeed!
December 9, 2009 at 7:47 PM
Great image, Bill. The abstract quality made me think first of the American flag, then of sand dunes. Not until I read your description did I see that they were feathers. Fine tribute to a beautiful raptor.