Advice for photographing Harris Hawks please

[Planky]

For my Birthday I am being taken on a walk with some Harris Hawks this weekend. The handlers are going to fly the hawks and hopefully I will get to handle one.

I have a 5D mkII and a 450D that my daughter will be using. I have a 50 f1.8, a Sigma 15-30, an ancient 70 - 210 f4 and a 70 - 300 IS.

What advice and tips would you give me to get some good pictures?

Thanks!

 

[Nod]

Enjoy the day and treat any good shots as a bonus. You should be able to get some shots of the bird flying down your throat, possibly looking straight into the lens. If the BoP place you're going to does photographic days, they'll know how to fly the birds for you to get the shots you want, so ask nicely and you might receive! I like the wide angle shots I've got of a few BoPs, including an Eagle Owl on my fist. I have a shot of almost the same moment that Yv shot of me and had printed up at (?)A2.
Oh, and don't try to get them landing on an ungloved fist - it'll end in tears (as in tiers AND tares!)

 

[Sirius]

Harris' Hawks are generally pretty 'accommodating' so you should get plenty of opportunities to get some good shots. Enjoy the day.