Majesty on the Wing - Bald Eagle

On a quiet winter day in the mountain range, the moisture in the air turns to mist along the snowy slopes. The bald eagle flies down the valley searching for an open stretch of river. In winter it is possible to see a dozen or more of these great birds along the shores of fast-moving mountain waterways.

The air is the eagle's domain, and I wanted to capture the presence of the atmosphere. The wings seem to seize volumes of air. I have orchestrated the shapes of the snow patches to echo the strokes of the wing feathers and to emphasize the thrust of the bird through the air. I have usually observed bald eagles in a landscape of somber power and that is the mood I sought to portray.