The Bird Collection

Great Blue Heron, Swift Current

Swift Current

I love watching herons. With a statuesque stillness, they wait—silent, composed—along the shore or in shallow waters. Sometimes for what feels like hours. Then, in an instant, they strike.

Photographing them is a different kind of waiting. My challenge is always the approach. Herons, like most wild creatures, seem to possess a heightened awareness of their surroundings. Rather than try to sneak in, I’ve learned to read their movement, preposition myself, and simply wait. A test of patience, yes—but one that makes moments like this all the more rewarding.

In this image, everything came together: the tripod, the water’s motion, and the great blue heron’s perfect stillness. That calm presence allowed for a longer exposure—long enough to let the river blur into motion, to capture the energy rushing past a figure suspended in still time.