This Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) remained steadfastly on guard above its large nest on Wednesday at Occoquan National Wildlife Refuge as a jet flew by in the distance. As I was focusing on the eagle, I caught sight of the jet out of the corner of the eye and managed to time the shot pretty well to be able to include the jet in the frame.
Normally I do not like to include man-made objects in my wildlife photos, but in this case I really like the juxtaposition between the wildness of a bald eagle’s flight and the more “civilized” human flight.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
Very nice Mike!
I don’t generally like manmade things in nature photos, either, but you are totally right. In this case it really works well. If I’ve learned one thing about photography, it’s that rules are made to be broken on occasion.
Your response made me smile. When it comes to photography, I look at “rules” as general guidelines and the more time that I spend taking pictures, the freer I feel to disregard them when I deem it to appropriate or desirable. 🙂
Glad I made you smile! I’m in total agreement. The key is realizing when it’s appropriate to break the rules. That requires practice and judgment.
I definitely agree, which is why I encourage folks to take lots of lots of photos. Over time I have learned what kinds of images I really like and what I need to do to produce those images. Of course, there are still lots of factors that can’t be controlled, so my usual goal is to do the best I can with the situations I encounter.
What a bird! (I have to grin at the bigger “bird” flying by in the distance…)
I don’t get why photographers avoid “human signs” on wildlife photos. It gives witness that animals, plants, fungi are around us. Photos could remind us that we have to protect Nature – our neighbors.
You make a good point. In fact, many wild creatures and plants have adapted so well to our surroundings that it is now part of their “natural” environment.