#AdventWord #Day

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Day. The partner to night. “The light of day,” we say, usually to herald something good happening. For example, if the book I’ve been working on for quite some time now eventually sees the light of day, I will be very, very happy! In contrast, “never see the light of day” means something got hidden or buried. It is hard to think of a celebratory connotation or application. Usually, it suggests we’re up to no good and hope for the dark of night to cover our misdeeds. Ultimately, the light of day and dark of night are equally important to…

#AdventWord #Gratify

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Frustrating and gratifying! That’s bird photography for me. This family of Hooded Mergansers (Lophodytes cucullatus) cruised past me in my kayak in the salt marsh on Mobile Sound one winter day a few years ago. The light was golden, the water calmly reflective, and their formation perfect. But then, of course, the moment I click, the two females in the middle turn their heads away. One more addition to a huge collection of “near perfect” shots! Aww, well. Beautiful anyway, and gratifying, especially because Nature Serve’s conservation rating of this species is “Vulnerable” in Alabama. Nothing motivates my photography more…

At last!

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Of the images I create, the ones I love most are often not the ones that get accepted into art shows. The lack of art show-juror interest does not diminish my affection for an image, but it is gratifying when an image that has been passed over a number of times finally gets the recognition I think it deserves. Juror Susan Goetz Zwirn chose Red-wing Flush for a show called “Bold & Free,” sponsored by the Marin Society of Artists in Marin County, CA. It’s a virtual show; you can see it here until June 21. Some might say this…

June: Laccasine Pool

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The Laccasine Pool is one part of the Laccasine National Wildlife Refuge in Cameron Parish, southwest Louisiana. It is a freshwater wetland prepared for auto touring with an elevated gravel road around 16,000 acres of marsh. And it is best to stay in your car! On the day in June 2024 I visited, two rather large ‘gators got into a fight maybe 40 yards from me driving by. What a commotion! It didn’t last long and I don’t think any serious damage was done, but it sure stirred up the birds! For me, of course, birds were the primary reason…

January: Backyard Birds

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Once again, a new year calls me to bravely begin my #YearInReview, namely a pilgrimage through my past year’s photographs to pull out one image a month that helps me tell the story of my photographic year. It takes bravery because I don’t always like what I see and I don’t always have much to choose from! Nevertheless, it has been a valuable exercise, so hear goes. I begin by breaking a rule. For January 2024, I will post multiple photos because I love the diversity of birds I sometimes have in my backyard. January is prime time–especially if there’s…