Twenty four years ago today, I was hanging off the side of the Bay Bridge photographing the devastating effects of the Loma Prieta earthquake which so rudely shattered the lives of those living in the Bay Area. I was at the Laguna de Santa Rosa this evening photographing birds. Oddly, the weather seems about the same as it was those many years ago.
Thankfully, no earthquakes. Just beautiful light.
Whether by coincidence or dumb luck, I was in the right place at the right time today at the Laguna. I don’t usually plan where I’m going to photograph, unless I’ve made contact with a person or persons the previous day. I try to follow the light and make pictures in a new place. I find that I have to be really creative in how I approach the Laguna, I don’t want to make the same old picture time after time (caution, I will be repetitive once in awhile).
The light has been killer. I wish I could bottle it and bring it out on a gray dreary day. I started off photographing people enjoying the day on the Laguna Trail. As the sun dipped lower, the light became outrageous. I passed by the Kelly pond, located in wetlands preserve. Even though I’ve photographed numerous birds while undertaking this project, I had to stay with my subject which was a great egret.
A great egret lands on the Kelly Pond at the Laguna de Santa Rosa, Thursday Oct. 17, 2013. (Kent Porter / Press Democrat) 2013
So I thought, that’s an okay photo. I’ll see what else the bird does.
Great egrets land on the Kelly Pond at the Laguna de Santa Rosa, Thursday Oct. 17, 2013. (Kent Porter / Press Democrat) 2013
Then a whole flock joined in. This is pretty cool I mused and decided to waste a little more time.
With a full moon, a great egret hunts for food on the Kelly Pond at the Laguna de Santa Rosa, Thursday Oct. 17, 2013. (Kent Porter / Press Democrat) 2013
Duh. Glad I stayed with it.
After I had my picture I tried not to disappoint my camera, so I shot the moon. At the same moment, a woman passed by and said the Laguna was “really birdy”.
Apt dont’t you think?
Starlings roost as evening returns over the Laguna de Santa Rosa, Thursday Oct. 17, 2013. (Kent Porter / Press Democrat) 2013
Oh yeah, people were there too.
A relaxing evening on the Laguna, Thursday Oct. 17, 2013. (Kent Porter / Press Democrat) 2013
-Kent Porter
