Art of the Day: Female Kestrel in Rime

This is really a super shot of the smallest falcon we have in North America. I saw her in a tree near an abandoned farmhouse from the road in the fog on a January morning. As I was approaching, the fog began to lift. (A bit of a side diversion, but if you’re shooting wildlife, there’s something about our eyes that makes them skittish – predator eyes? So if you keep your camera to your face and avoid staring them down, they’ll often let you approach closer than you otherwise might be able to.)

She sat for me for a bit as I took several shots – rime and pretty kestrel against the blue sky. The branches of the tree are fantastic, too – the way they curve and curl (thinking it’s a variety of willow tree).

This shot is cropped a little so I would suggest the largest size to maintain sharpness should be 24 x 36. She’s so pretty. To order, email me at steve@emmisoure.com