# Red Shouldered Hawk and a Snake **URL:** \ **Category:** Image Critiques\ **Tags:** birds\ **Created:** [October 9, 2021, 9:38pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/red-shouldered-hawk-and-a-snake/24814 "2021-10-09T21:38:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Chris\_Calohan](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/chris_calohan/32/37448_2.png) [@Chris\_Calohan](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Chris_Calohan)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2021, 9:38pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/red-shouldered-hawk-and-a-snake/24814/1 "2021-10-09T21:38:30Z")
![Red Shouldered Hawk and a Snake](https://images.naturephotographers.network/original/3X/c/c/cc47f75ccd1a37671aac71d1ea5e940b3bee8b4b.jpeg) Was at the Circle B Bar Reserve in Lakeland, FL and there were a ton of little snakes everywhere…and a hawk or two getting easy meals. ### Specific Feedback Requested Anything ### Technical Details Is this a composite: No D500, f/5.6, 200-500 @ 200, ISO 400 ###### ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Freeman](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/shirley_freeman/32/11361_2.png) [@Shirley\_Freeman](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Shirley_Freeman)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2021, 11:23pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/red-shouldered-hawk-and-a-snake/24814/2 "2021-10-09T23:23:41Z")
Now that is my kind of hawk, capturing snakes instead of cute little animals or small birds! Very nicely captured. The wing position, the details and lighting really are nice. Great shot. ---
**Author:** ![Allen\_Sparks](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/allen_sparks/32/63507_2.png) [@Allen\_Sparks](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Allen_Sparks)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2021, 1:17am UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/red-shouldered-hawk-and-a-snake/24814/3 "2021-10-10T01:17:22Z")
@Shirley_Freeman - Hi Shirley … I like snakes! 😃 Chris, nice job catching this bird so sharp coming right at you. And nice behavioral image with the snake in tow. This composition works for me but I could see a version with a smidge less room on bottom and left and more on right. Nice frame. ---
**Author:** ![Diane\_Miller](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/diane_miller/32/27391_2.png) [@Diane\_Miller](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Diane_Miller)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2021, 3:54am UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/red-shouldered-hawk-and-a-snake/24814/4 "2021-10-10T03:54:55Z")
What a wonderful catch!! Would have loved to see it eat the thing. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morrissey](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/peter_morrissey/32/683_2.png) [@Peter\_Morrissey](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Peter_Morrissey)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2021, 12:53pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/red-shouldered-hawk-and-a-snake/24814/5 "2021-10-10T12:53:10Z")
Hi Chris Nice action, did you have any lead time to frame up the shot? You did a good job with the contrast and sharpness. I agree with Allen on the framing. Very nice photograph. Peter ---
**Author:** ![Chris\_Calohan](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/chris_calohan/32/37448_2.png) [@Chris\_Calohan](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Chris_Calohan)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2021, 1:21pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/red-shouldered-hawk-and-a-snake/24814/6 "2021-10-10T13:21:36Z")
Here is the crop but I don’t think it adds much to the overall image. I had nearly zero calculation time. He dove out of a tree from a hidden position, swooped down, grabbed the snake and literally flew by me at about waist level back to his hidey spot. ![hawk-snake-3 copy crop](https://images.naturephotographers.network/original/3X/2/1/214146c25b785045c620a8184ead0b4dba00b914.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![Dennis\_Plank](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/dennis_plank/32/27033_2.png) [@Dennis\_Plank](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Dennis_Plank)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2021, 4:38pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/red-shouldered-hawk-and-a-snake/24814/7 "2021-10-10T16:38:38Z")
Excellent, Chris. The relatively low focal length gave you great depth of field and the bird looks crisp at least back to the snake. I do prefer the second composition a bit more as the empty space at the bottom of the original didn’t seem to add much. Great catch. ---
**Author:** ![David\_Bostock](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/david_bostock/32/34921_2.png) [@David\_Bostock](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/David_Bostock)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2021, 5:01pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/red-shouldered-hawk-and-a-snake/24814/8 "2021-10-10T17:01:32Z")
Wow. I got nothing else to say, but WOW.