I’m traveling right now, and the idea of migration is much
on my mind. But I’m going to mull that over a little longer and interject a
little commercial here today for some recent achievements I’m happy about.
First, several months ago I was asked to photograph the
Hunley, the Confederate submarine that sank in Charleston Harbor after sinking
a Union blockade ship in 1864. The sub was
recovered in 1999 and has been undergoing very careful conservation in a
warehouse in North Charleston ever since.
The Friends of the Hunley had recently done some work that had changed
the appearance of the sub in its tank and wanted new underwater photographs to
show it off. I got the call and had a great time planning and executing the
shoot. I don’t know when the organization will start using the photos in
brochures and so on, but here’s a little preview until they do.
Second, I recently submitted two photos to the Photography
Club of Beaufort (SC) for their entry in the Merrimack Valley Camera Club
international interclub nature photography salon and competition. My photograph
of a red hind being cleaned by a Pederson Cleaner Shrimp was selected as the
best entry in the Marine and Freshwater Life Category.
My other entry, Liftoff, depicting a Great Egret just as it takes off, dripping
water from its feet and reflected in the pond, scored high enough to be
included in the salon exhibition.
Finally, just this week I was asked by Wild Rescue if
they could use my photo of a cormorant hanged by monofilament as their “poster
child” for this year’s Worldwide Fishing Line Cleanup Campaign. I photographed
the cormorant during my visit several months ago to central Florida, where I
got some wonderful images of birds,
as well as the cormorant that was killed by some carelessly discarded fishing
line.
Of the three, I’m probably most proud of the last one,
because I do want my photography to make a difference. Wildlife kills by
discarded fishing line and other debris are tragic and preventable. I hope my
photograph will inspire someone somewhere
to keep that in mind and do something about it.
