The Quiet Place
I was having amazing amazing luck photographing a pair of bald eagles while standing on loose dirt near a cliff surrounded by bushes of poison oak with my camera on a monopod. when I heard the thought, “What happens if we get small?” I didn’t hesitate and immediately maneuvered to sit on the ground. Just as I sit on the ground and look up, a beautiful great blue heron cruised just above the surface of the water. I have been photographing great blue herons for +5 years now and this was hands down the most beautiful great blue heron scene I had ever witnessed. I wouldn’t have appreciated it as much had I been standing, and since my camera was no where near my face I didn’t even attempt to capture a photo. I was so struck by the beauty of the moment and its beauty that I forgot to be upset about having missed such an epic shot and instead took a moment to thank the Universe for what I had seen.
Moments later that little voice said, “What about the quiet place?” Without thinking, I left my spot where I could see nearly the entire lake with a perfect view of two bald eagles and headed towards a small corner of the lake that’s particularly ridden with poison oak and laden with view-blocking foliage. Just as I step from behind a huge bush, this bird was sitting on a branch as if waiting for me. I saw it, it saw me, I froze, it saw me seeing it, and chilled. And I went on to capture some of my favorite photos ever.
