Albanian Falconer Hawk on Ridge

Wet leather straps and a heavy gauntlet dominate the foreground, cradling a sharp-eyed hawk against the wind-swept Albanian ridge. Raindrops bead on the bird's slate-grey feathers, catching the soft, diffused light filtering through low clouds. The falconer's hand remains perfectly still, a stone in the drizzle, while the hawk's yellow cere gleams with moisture. Behind them, blurred green grasses bend under the weight of the late summer rain. The texture of the bird's wing contrasts with the smooth, rain-soaked leather glove. One droplet hangs from the tip of the hawk's beak, poised to fall.