Come to think of it, I tried to photograph Snowy Egrets with my very first camera and roll of film back in High School. They represent, in that way, the beginning of me holding a camera. That first time they all flew off before I could get very close and I only captured one of their silhouettes against the sun’s rays. The result was interesting enough to have my Dad express a bit of jealousy when he finally saw it weeks later projected on the screen as we sat around the kitchen table to see the results of my first roll. It was beginner’s luck of course, or.. a simple willingness to wildly point and click with little forethought.

This Snowy Egret, in Southern California and accustomed to people nearby, was less skittish than those 20+ years ago at that Snake River inlet, which made for a nice haiku like moment.

I’ll have to see if I can track down that old slide photo and post it here.