Losing his camera’s lens cap in the process, Tom Hawkinson couldn’t dare miss a close up shot of America’s iconic bird, the bald eagle.
“I’ve ran that fast for my camera maybe one other time,” says Hawkinson, photographer of Prepare for Takeoff, which received First Place in the Wildlife & Nature category of the Focus on Woodbury photo contest. The photo was shot using a Canon Mirrorless EOS R camera with an attached telephoto 70–200 lens to get that crisp clear detail of the eagle’s wings.
Hawkinson had noticed an influx of eagles in his neighborhood and knew he should take the chance to work his photo magic before they all leave town.
He had a clear view of the stationary eagle from his office window, where he snapped over 200 photos in 10 minutes. He patiently observed the eagle and waited to capture some action “There were a lot of the same photos,” Hawkinson says. “I just sat there, hoping it would take off.”
Hawkinson has been a photo hobbyist for over 20 years. His photography repertoire spans from senior photos, weddings, family portraits and his classic nature shots.
