"Moonhawk" The December Full Moon in Arizona is my favorite moon of the year, given its early rise that coincides with sunset, making for lighter skies and beautiful horizons. On December 9, 2011, I was photographing the moon over Four Peaks Mountain and other nearby mountains from the edge of the Tonto National Forest in AZ. I was just about to put away my gear for the night, as I got the images I wanted and the moon had since risen beyond the peaks at too high of an angle to capture it beautifully for landscapes. Just then, a Harris Hawk flew atop a nearby Saguaro. I happened to have enough time to switch over to my 500mm lens + 1.4x teleconverter, mount it to my tripod (already set up), run about 50' to frame the shot, and grab this image before the hawk flew away. It all happened in seconds. What a moment! ©2011 Langell Photography, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

"Just Me and a Tree" This tiny Bewick's Wren was spotted in a gorgeous little wooded area near the Salt River in Arizona, just outside of Scottsdale. These little birds spend much of their lives foraging in dense brush--out of view! I felt lucky to have observed this one out in the open for a few moments. Being so tiny, sweet, and delicate, they'll easily steal your heart if you take the time to stop long enough to get a glimpse into their world and life. ©2011 Lisa Langell Photography. All Rights Reserved.