DAY 204

NATURE & LANDSCAPES

Hawk In Flight

HUNTING WITHOUT BULLETS

Hunting is a hobby that can take many forms. Some enjoy the challenge but are reluctant to carry a weapon. An alternative is to hunt with a camera, which has some distinctive advantages. There is no bag limit, nor are there any restrictions on the type of game you’re allowed to pursue. Birds of prey, like a red-tailed hawk, are a prime example of being excellent game to stalk.

Hawks are extremely quick and shy away from human contact, which makes them hard to get close to. Once you actually get close, capturing a decent image can prove difficult—a hawk as it soars is the ultimate moving target.

The first thing you need is a camera that takes a picture immediately after pressing the shutter button—the shutter delay on a point and shoot camera doesn’t work very well for this type of action photography. Use the highest shutter speed you can. Get the bird in focus and pan along the flight path as it soars (called “follow focus”). Lead the hawk a little, as it will be moving into the frame. The background will be out of focus, which only proves the bird was moving quickly. —WTD