Grace Scalzo
02-28-2009, 12:08 PM
1/200, f10, ISO800
1Dmk2n, 500 + 2xtc
Sunrise, December 19, 2008, I went to Jones Beach to spend an hour or so looking for and hopefully photographing a snowy owl. Almost immediately I found an owl sitting down by the ocean near a piece of driftwood. Before approaching, I called a good friend of mine to come and join me. Pretty soon he arrived and we enjoyed time with this nice bird in fairly decent, but threatening weather.
Time passed and it began to blow. The owl flew to be closer to the dunes. Then it began to snow. What started out as a couple hour plan quickly turned into all day on the beach in blowing snow, wind, and ice. A day started alone ended up being time spent with a friend and a memory created that will last a lifetime. This wonderful bird allowed us to photograph her nearly all day. From time to time she would fly to a new spot, and my friend created a few images that caused him to do the happy dance right there on the beach. We laughed out loud. A grown man and woman acting like little children.
Finally, soaking wet, cold, and tired, we headed back to our cars, enduring a most difficult walk as ice pelted our faces, making us wish we had ski goggles for protection.
I hold no illusions that this is a great image, or even a good one. What it is for me is a memory of time well spent, leaving all our earthly cares of work, health, family, etc behind on a cold, winter day, and just simply and totally enjoying what Mother Nature offered us that day.
1Dmk2n, 500 + 2xtc
Sunrise, December 19, 2008, I went to Jones Beach to spend an hour or so looking for and hopefully photographing a snowy owl. Almost immediately I found an owl sitting down by the ocean near a piece of driftwood. Before approaching, I called a good friend of mine to come and join me. Pretty soon he arrived and we enjoyed time with this nice bird in fairly decent, but threatening weather.
Time passed and it began to blow. The owl flew to be closer to the dunes. Then it began to snow. What started out as a couple hour plan quickly turned into all day on the beach in blowing snow, wind, and ice. A day started alone ended up being time spent with a friend and a memory created that will last a lifetime. This wonderful bird allowed us to photograph her nearly all day. From time to time she would fly to a new spot, and my friend created a few images that caused him to do the happy dance right there on the beach. We laughed out loud. A grown man and woman acting like little children.
Finally, soaking wet, cold, and tired, we headed back to our cars, enduring a most difficult walk as ice pelted our faces, making us wish we had ski goggles for protection.
I hold no illusions that this is a great image, or even a good one. What it is for me is a memory of time well spent, leaving all our earthly cares of work, health, family, etc behind on a cold, winter day, and just simply and totally enjoying what Mother Nature offered us that day.