SNOW GEESE TAKING FLIGHT AT DAWN

BOSQUE DEL APACHE NWR, NEW MEXICO

Nikon F4s, Nikkor 500mm Lens, Bogen Tripod, Kodak E100SW Film Pushed 1 Stop

At the end of January I made my first pilgrimage to Bosque Del Apache National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge is located near Socorro (approximately 100 miles south of Albuquerque) just off Interstate 25, and is the answer to any bird-lovers prayer. I chose the word "pilgrimage" because although the trip began as a photographic one, it quickly turned into something much more spiritual for me.

One of my great passions in life revolves around observing and photographing birds - especially waterfowl and waders. I had not had the privilege of working in the presence of these particular species since my move from Florida nearly a year-and-a-half earlier. I had read about Bosque - and the thousands of winter migrants (specifically snow geese and sandhill cranes) that, November through February call the refuge home - for years and had always wanted to visit. It wasn't until now that I was finally able to make my visit a reality.

Initially, it was the search for a new place to live that led me to Bosque. I had originally planned only one day there, but upon laying eyes on it that quickly turned into five. My first evening brought with it a stunning sunset and the sights and sounds of ever-increasing flocks of boisterous birds flying in to land in the shallow pink and purple marshes scattered in front of me. The experience was, to say the least awe-inspiring - overwhelming in its extreme, attacking all the senses. It was simply beautiful.

Every sunrise and every sunset found me in the company of birds under pastel skies. This image was made in the cool hues of dawn on my third morning, resulting in the harmonious shades of magenta and purple that dominate the scene. From the previous mornings I had familiarized myself with the activities and movements of the huge flocks of snow geese that take overnight refuge in the safety of the vast waters. It soon became clear that they followed a basic pattern of taking off, circling, and landing nearby, often in the same marsh. They would then repeat this action once or twice more before heading off to their feeding grounds for the day.

Learning these patterns, and being in position and ready for the action were all key to the overall success of the image. This meant getting up in the dark, driving out to the location, and setting up before the first rays of dawn broke in the sky. I am not - and I mean not - a morning person, but the inconvenience of leaving a warm comfortable bed to stand out in below freezing temperatures became trivial when compared to the images made and the experiences had.

Because the sun was not yet above the horizon my choice of shutter speeds were limited based on my selection of slow film. This worked to my advantage though, as the implementation of a slow shutter speed (1/15 second) resulted in a highly artistic rendering of the main event due in part to the blurred movements of the birds as they took flight - an effect I purposely sought out I might add. Never dismiss the possibilities of your creative eye, no matter how difficult the execution may seem, because while you may end up with many failures, a true piece of art may just be lurking in the mix!

Bosque was a wonderful, if temporary, escape for me, creating a diversion from the inevitable stresses brought on by an impending move. It also fueled my soul, reminding me of the extreme fondness I harbor for these elegant and graceful creatures and the tranquillity I derive from simply residing in their midst. After leaving, I did find my new place to live, and given its proximity to the refuge (about two hours) there is no doubt that I will return to its pastel waters in the near future.

* I plan on including this area in future workshops. Please check back for more information, as it becomes available.