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![\"\"](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/red-tailed-hawk-1287b-ron-dudley.jpg\" "\\"red-tailed-hawk-1287b-ron-dudley\\"")
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1\/3200, f\/6.3, ISO 640, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/p>\n If I remember correctly and I believe I do this is the sibling of the juvenile red-tail I’ve posted several shots of recently. It wasn’t quite as close as the other bird so I probably won’t be posting any shots of it perched on the rock. But when it took off it took up much more of the frame and I thought this particular image was pretty neat.<\/p>\n Normally I’m not a fan of vegetation poking into the frame edges of my photos but in this case I don’t think the greenery at bottom is distracting and it helps to anchor the hawk in the frame.<\/p>\n From many angles this wouldn’t be my favorite wing position. But from below and to one side I think it allows the viewer an interesting perspective on the dynamics of takeoff including the straightened legs and splayed feet immediately after push-off and the large surface area of the flared tail and open wings providing much needed air resistance at this very low airspeed. And with the rock perch still in the frame we have some context about distance and timing relative to this particular flight posture immediately after takeoff.<\/p>\n I always notice stuff like that but if it isn’t your bag I hope you can enjoy the photo anyway.<\/p>\n Ron<\/p>\n <\/p>\n PS – I hope all my readers have a memorable Labor Day but I also hope you give at least some thought to the purpose of the holiday – to recognize the social and economic contributions of American workers. On this day I never fail to think of labor activist, songwriter and member of the “Wobblies” Joe Hill<\/a> who was executed in 1915 at the old Sugarhouse Prison within a stone’s throw of my previous home in Sugarhouse. It was Joe who coined the phrase “pie in the sky” in one of his famous songs.<\/em><\/p>\n Among other things I admire Joe’s attitude. Just before his execution he penned the following words to his friend Bill Haywood: “Goodbye Bill. I die like a true blue rebel. Don’t waste any time in mourning. Organize … Could you arrange to have my body hauled to the state line to be buried? I don’t want to be found dead in Utah.”<\/em><\/p>\n I get that.<\/em><\/p>\n R.I.P. Joe Hill. I hope you’re enjoying your pie.<\/em><\/p>\n “You will eat, by and by<\/em> <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A combination of angle and flight posture of a raptor taking off that I rarely capture.<\/p>\n
\nIn that glorious land above the sky<\/em>
\nWork and pray, live on hay<\/em>
\nYou\u2019ll get pie in the sky when you die”<\/em><\/p>\n