Abstract woodpecker

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Abstract woodpecker

November 30, 2015 by Mike Powell

The sky was heavily overcast on Saturday as I focused on a Red-headed Woodpecker (Melanerpes erythrocephalus) high in a broken-off tree at Huntley Meadows Park. The woodpecker was mostly in the shadows and I was having real troubles getting a clear shot of it. Then I got lucky.

The woodpecker flew off and then immediately returned to the same spot and I managed to press the shutter at just the right moment to capture the bird in flight.

I love the way the jagged edges of the tree mirror the shapes of the wings of the woodpecker, giving this image an almost abstract quality. The almost monochromatic color palette and simple composition enhance that abstract feel for me.

Posted in Art, Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife | Tagged abstract bird portrait, Alexandria VA, Canon 50D, Huntley Meadows Park, juvenile Red-headed Woodpecker, Melanerpes erythrocephalus, Red-headed Woodpecker, Tamron 150-600mm telephoto | 17 Comments

17 Responses

on November 30, 2015 at 8:25 am | Reply Laura (PA Pict)

The confluence of shapes in this image plus the composition on the diagonal is superb.

Incidentally, I just read a post on the OBT blog that made me think of you. It’s a showcase of photos of birds hunting: http://myonebeautifulthing.com/2015/11/30/gone-fishin/
- on November 30, 2015 at 10:48 am | Reply Mike Powell
  
  Thanks for your kind words, Laura. I checked out the link you posted and those photos are truly amazing. I dream of taking shots like that!
  - on November 30, 2015 at 11:21 am Laura (PA Pict)
    
    I believe one day you will. 😀
  - on November 30, 2015 at 2:19 pm Mike Powell
    
    Practice, practice….
- on November 30, 2015 at 11:20 am | Reply Sue
  
  Thanks for the tip, Laura. Those were some pretty cool shots!
on November 30, 2015 at 11:21 am | Reply Sue

Really neat and unusual capture, Mike. That’s the way to make the most of “bad” light (which wasn’t really bad, in the end).
- on November 30, 2015 at 2:18 pm | Reply Mike Powell
  
  In some ways, the fact that I am still working three days a week means that I am likely to go out as often as I can on the other days, without regard to the weather and lighting conditions. If I could go out any day, I’m afraid that I choose to stay inside more and miss chances like this one.
on November 30, 2015 at 2:35 pm | Reply Charlie@Seattle Trekker

Amazing how often good fortune seems to come to the prepared…Love the shot with wings extended.
- on December 1, 2015 at 4:37 am | Reply Mike Powell
  
  Thanks, Charlie. My reaction time has improved, so I really do feel like I am better prepared when situations present themselves. Catching the woodpecker in flight like this was an unexpected joy for me.
on November 30, 2015 at 5:34 pm | Reply krikitarts

This really showcases the beautiful flight feathers that few folks normally see, especially with the lucky backlighting!
- on December 1, 2015 at 4:35 am | Reply Mike Powell
  
  I was amazed too, Gary, that I managed to get a shot like this one from underneath the woodpecker. I love that the image shows not only the flight feathers, but also the little legs and feet.
on November 30, 2015 at 7:53 pm | Reply svtakeiteasy

Great composition Mike with the tree shapes echoing the feathers!
- on December 1, 2015 at 4:33 am | Reply Mike Powell
  
  Thanks, Chris. I wish I could take credit for the composition, but it’s one of those things that just happened. I had no idea that I would somehow manage to capture the woodpecker in flight.
on November 30, 2015 at 8:28 pm | Reply Molly D

Your photo reminds me of artwork by John Ruthven.
on December 1, 2015 at 5:02 am | Reply New Hampshire Garden Solutions

The wing feathers have an almost see through quality which I’m not sure is an illusion or is really there. It’s not something I’ve seen before.
- on December 1, 2015 at 5:30 am | Reply Mike Powell
  
  I too am unsure if the look is caused by their white color or by backlighting or by the camera settings that I used, but the effect and the perspective are definitely unusual.
on December 1, 2015 at 6:53 pm | Reply Red-headed Woodpecker takeoff–reprise | Mike Powell

[…] Woodpecker and as soon as I saw it, I realized that it is an almost perfect companion to the photo that I posted yesterday. Yesterday’s image showed the flight feathers of a Red-headed […]