Ghost Pelicans of the Bayou

  Photography is one of those funny things that can preserve a lot of memories with a perfect likeness or twist things to become unrecognizable. Getting the perfect picture, depends upon skill, lighting and a lot of luck...a whole lot of luck.  Photography is also used (or misused) to skew facts. The art has long been used to "prove" hoaxes. This bit of trickery all hinges on angles and lighting.  It also helps when the viewer of the picture is a tad bit gullible.  Now I would never, ever use a bit of trickery with my pictures...right?

  The other morning while on the pier, the pelicans were busy diving for little mullet.  They were trying to catch enough to fill their bellies for breakfast. The morning sunrise was shrouded by a thick fog that had settled in on the Bayou. While I could see the pelicans the camera was not able to get a clear photograph.  The birds, however, came closer and closer to the pier until they were splashing down right next to me. I tried again to get a clear picture.  This was to no avail as each picture was blurred by the swirling fog and by the quick movements of the pelicans.

  One pelican was so close that when I snapped its photograph, the camera tried to pick up the water behind the bird and not focus on the pelican, itself. This and the sudden flapping of bird's wings made the large pelican seem almost transparent!  I had a ghost bird on my hands!  While the photograph, itself, is worthy only of the trashcan according to skill standard, I sort of like it.  The bird does seem ghostly and mysterious!  Only on the Bayou, my friends, can you find these elusive ghost pelicans!  Only on the Bayou...and only when it is especially foggy will the ghost pelicans venture near enough to be photographed!