Experience the Moment

I woke up early this morning at the campground in Cattaragus County to make the two hour drive to Rochester for my 9 a.m. photo shoot. The campground was covered in a veil of fog. I drove down the dirt road, crossed over the creek and around the bend to travel around the campground lake. What appeared before me was a scene I've only seen before on the cover of Outdoor Photographer magazine. The low early morning sun cast shadows down through the trees, illuminating the fog in narrow bands of gold. Ribbons of steam rose from the lake to meet the golden rays. At the base of the center ray, like a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow, was a slender silhouette of a Great Blue Heron searching the lakes edge for a meal. I stopped the car and turned around to reach for my camera. The bag was just out of reach and I knew the wrong lens was attached. Then it hit me like a ton of bricks. That moment was there for me to enjoy and savor, to record in my mind and experience in my heart. I felt an overwhelming sense that my Dad created this moment for me, as if communicating to me from above with his art work. I had a decision to make, do I take the time to fumble through my camera bag, changing lenses or do I just take a mental picture and soak in the moment. I did not want to risk losing the moment with my back turned and my head stuck in a bag like an ostrich with it's head in the sand. The moment was mine to cherish. I would love to share the image with all of you, but this one is between me and my Dad.