I photographed this Red-tailed Hawk in backlight at the Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma while driving the auto tour road with a friend (Mia). She spotted the hawk circling above our truck, and I pulled over so we could step out and try for a few frames. The sun sat directly behind the bird, creating a tough backlighting situation that can leave the subject underexposed while the background blows out, forcing careful choices both in-camera and later in post-processing. If you want a deeper breakdown of how backlighting affects exposure, feather detail, and background control, I cover that in more detail in my guide to backlighting in wildlife photography.
Despite the conditions, I gave it a shot. The backlighting created a dramatic effect, accentuating each feather’s fine details with a luminous outline. The tail glowed, and the wings were fully extended. The hawk’s eyes seemed locked on me as I took several frames. One image stood out. I liked how the light filtered through its feathers and how the bird appeared aware of our presence.
Key Points I Considered When Photographing a Red-Tailed Hawk in Backlight
- Backlighting added dramatic feather detail.
- Timing was crucial to capture the wings fully extended.
- Shooting into the sun made exposure tricky.
Photo Details
- Date: 12/11/24
- Time: 11:32:11 AM
- Camera Model: Canon EOS R5 Mark 2
- Lens: Canon RF 200-800mm at 800mm
- ISO: 1250
- Aperture: f/10
- Shutter Speed: 1/3200
- Exposure Compensation: 0.0
Lessons Learned
This experience taught me that you can still capture a meaningful shot in tough lighting conditions. Using a high shutter speed (1/3200) helped freeze the hawk’s movement, while an aperture of f/10 provided enough depth of field to keep the bird in focus. Adjusting the ISO to 1250 balanced the exposure under the challenging backlight. It may not be perfect, but the effort can yield a result you’re happy with.