emeraldripples

My Photo scholarship 2010 entry

Worldwide | Saturday, September 25, 2010 | 1 photos

While guiding a french birdwatching group at Tapanti National Park and as we approach the river my attention was deeply caught by the morning light in the forest. I decided to take a step out the trail hoping to find American Dipper ( a rather common bird in midelevation streams); for few minutes we search, with good success the bird flew from one boulder to the next on the other side of the river's edge, good enough views for my clients. Since everyone was satisfied on the bird finding i took a moment for myself letting the sunlight hit my face and the forest come alive on its dozens of green shades. Within few minutes and without being aware to it, the American Dipper jumped up few rocks closer and closer to the middle of the stream, therefore i prepare my camera to get a photograph, put my back pack down and lower myself to the ground to get a better balance. Suddenly in front of me on the only little rock that emerge from the surface the bird landed. By then i was fully aware of the amazing light hitting on the water, i switch on the flash and took only 2 photographs. As mention before this a common bird on a unique moment, that is what wildlife photography its all about it. Unique moments.

At the age of 6 i found in a trash bin a old magazine with a picture cover of a wolf in the snow, i can't remember much about the magazine itself, mostly because i was only able to read few words then and it was written in a foreign language ( english i think! ) but i do remember the tittle " Equinox"; that magazine made me want to be the naturalist i am today and still gives me hope to become the photographer that i dream about. Today i am a professional bird guide & naturalist and i have for the past 15 years.