Breaking Trail At first the Muskrat was swimming from left-to-right across the field of view when it suddenly changed direction and swam directly into the lens. The Fall foliage reflected on the water’s surface struck a beautiful pattern along with the disturbance created by the rodent. The Muskrat was merely breaking trail. ~ Anecdote and Muskrat capture, Breaking Trail © Jerry L. Ferrara
Taking Off There were literally hundreds of birds in view that chilly morning in New Mexico a few years back, and I was finding it difficult isolating subjects to make an interesting composition. Then I noticed the body posture of this single Sandhill Crane. It was about to take flight. Moving a few feet to my left brought a better angle of view if the crane’s anticipated “take off” avenue was correct. I guessed right and caught the crane taking off. ~ Anecdote and Sandhill Crane capture, Taking Off © Jerry L. Ferrara
Over a Sea of Dandelions Arcing erratic paths through the golden-stained early evening light, Arctic Terns perform a fantastic freestyle aerial ballet over a sea of dandelions. ~ Anecdote and Arctic Terns capture, Over a Sea of Dandelions © Jerry L. Ferrara, from the back of beyond in Iceland.
The Reaper reap = to cut with a sickle, scythe or reaping machine; gather, harvest, pick. ~ Merriam-Webster From the ghostly piny woods there emanated an unearthly, crypt-like silence. There were no bright choruses chanted from singing birds, nor were there quick rustlings in the secrets of the grass. All that existed was a deafening soundlessness soaked in the heavy scent of Death. It was fitting, then, that a wraith-like visitant should come to pass and perch atop an ancient wooden fence post. Its embodiment portrayed the very essence of demise that matched the mood of the sinister surroundings. The spirit-creature had come to harvest, and all fell quiet to its being there. The Reaper had arrived. To witness a Great Gray Owl in a wild setting is a truly memorable experience. To gaze into the piercing eyes of that penetrating stare is not to be forgotten. ~ Anecdote and Great Gray Owl capture, The Reaper © Jerry L. Ferrara
Between Shadow and Light On the rugged rim of a precipitous Icelandic cliff, a colony of Atlantic Puffins stoically sat. Their idleness contrasted heavily with irregular spirited forays out to open water to hunt fish. I zeroed in on this single bird simply because of the dramatic light cast on it. The cliff face in the background, across the way from the puffin, was in shadows so deep it dramatically set off the subject. The image quickly became my favorite Atlantic puffin portrait. It was a perfect play between shadow and light. ~ Anecdote and Atlantic puffin capture, Between Shadow and Light © Jerry L. Ferrara Something NEW regarding this photo. I printed it 19”x37” on canvas. It’s the first time I’ve used canvas as a medium. We’ll be showing it at Cedar Glen Gallery in Sandpoint, Idaho, after it is stretched.
Lolling In Still Water The day had not yet dawned when I departed the lodge and set out on a trail skirting a section of swampy Pantanal tract in Brazil’s State of Mato Grosso do Sul. As the light arrived, I constantly searched for subjects at which to point my lens and camera … something that would epitomize “The Pantanal”. While the expected Jaguar with talons flared and dagger-like feline fangs seeking the throat of a tapir never materialized, I did manage to complete my mission when I discovered this Yacare Caiman lolling in still water. It was a quintessential moment in the Pantanal. ~ Anecdote and Yacare Caiman capture, Lolling In Still Water © Jerry L. Ferrara. First generation image Fujichrome 100 film.
The Bairn The doe Pronghorn tentatively advanced from behind the grass-mantled knoll. From time to time she furtively glanced back in the direction from which she had come. Her conduct spoke volumes. So we waited. There was no picture making nor conversation carried out, just quiet observation. Then the reward for our effort rambunctiously materialized, seemingly to be spontaneously generated from the tall grass. The Bairn had arrived. ~ Anecdote and Pronghorn capture, The Bairn © Jerry L. Ferrara I made this capture earlier in the spring [2021] and when ‘the little one’ showed up I immediately thought of the Scottish expression for a child, hence the title, The Bairn.
A Semblance Mirrored Devoid was the Texas coast backwater of any kind of zephyr … and the air was stilled. Placidly sat the Long-billed Curlew on a stone-laden gravel bar, the wader’s likeness painted delicately on the aqueous surface in front of the reposing shorebird. It was a semblance mirrored. ~ Anecdote and Long-billed Curlew capture, A Semblance Mirrored © Jerry L. Ferrara
The Sultry Selle Early one evening, I was in the home studio working in my “darkroom” when Vicki yelled, “Grab a camera and get outside”. Here’s what I saw and it didn’t last long … The Sultry Selle. ~ Anecdote and Idaho Scenic capture, The Sultry Selle © Jerry L. Ferrara
The End Was Near A Burchell’s Zebra, with its entrails exposed, clings tenaciously to life while “Death”, in the guise of a Spotted Hyena, lurks patiently in the background. The end was near. ~ Anecdote and Burchell’s Zebra and Spotted Hyena capture, The End Was Near © Jerry L. Ferrara