So many of my recent photos have been almost devoid of color. We have already entered into that extended season of the year when the landscape turns monochromatic and bright colors have all but disappeared.
Last Thursday, I was thrilled to spot this Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus) that was perched motionless atop a broken-off tree. Somehow in the shadows I was able to spot the bird’s shape and correctly identify it as a bird. I am almost constantly scanning the trees for birds when I am out with my camera and will often take a shot of anything that looks remotely like a bird. I will take a look at my shot and sometimes find that it is a photo of a wasp nest, an unusually-shaped branch, or just a cluster of leaves.
Although this image is almost chromatic, there is a slight warmth in the feathers of the hawk that help to separate it visually from the tree. If you look closely at the image, you will also discover some light green color and texture in the lichen that was growing on the bark of the tree.
The beauty of nature in winter is often subtle, but it is definitely there, waiting to be discovered in the shapes and textures that reveal themselves when you slow down and pay attention.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 