No matter how many photos I take, no matter how pleasing some of them are to my heart and mind, there are always moments in time that I’m not able to capture with my lens. This is especially true at the wildlife refuge where animals are often startled by our presence and dive or fly away before I can even roll down my window. There are also times when the limitations of my equipment make it impossible to photograph something that is just out of range or moving too quickly or in dim lighting. And yes, it is sometimes the limitations of the person behind the lens that is responsible for a missed shot. There are usually several times per visit when my brain has to capture an image and save it for my enjoyment.
Our brains are truly the best cameras of all. They often record things we aren’t even aware of seeing until they pop up in our “mind’s eye” later. My mom was fond of that phrase and sometimes reminded me, especially as a teen, that I should be careful to monitor what that eye saw. The brain’s camera can bring up images we wish we could forget. But yesterday it recorded several pleasant moments that escaped my camera. One in particular was outstanding and I’ve replayed it in my mind’s eye several times this morning.
We were driving over the bridge on Wildlife Drive when I noticed a heron and an egret fishing about three feet from each other. Just as I slowed down to watch them they rose in unison, and flying about a foot apart, crossed to the other side of the pond. I’ve never seen a heron and an egret fly together and it was stunning to watch. I’m not sure how they kept from touching wings! And the whole flight took about thirty seconds- not enough time for me to react, much less take a picture- except with my mind.
A bit later we encountered a camera-shy turtle, a nervous group of ducks, and a flock of geese far out of range. None made it to the camera card.
So…the next time you enjoy some of my photos, especially those from the refuge, know that they represent only the moments I could capture. The rest are in my mind.
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