I took this photo in central Spain, home of one of the largest populations of Eurasian griffon vultures in Europe. I wanted to capture the birds at eye level, so I set up on the top of a hill opposite a cliff where a colony of vultures was nesting. For several days, I watched them soar and circle on warm air currents, gaining altitude with graceful ease. Some of the birds were very curious. On a few occasions, they flew straight toward me, then circled just a few meters above my head. When I took this picture, the sun was rising from the side, illuminating the vulture from the left. In black and white, it looks as if the bird is emerging from the shadows, its eyes fixed and intensely focused as it flew toward me. Griffon vultures are masters of the skies, using warm air currents to glide effortlessly, saving energy for long flights. Their bald heads help them stay cool in the heat and warm in the cold, adjusting posture to release or retain body heat.