Bright Whites

  Early morning, late afternoon and heavily overcast days all seem to make for the best photography lighting. At these times things look their best or perhaps the lighting covers up any blemishes.  During the glaring midday, things look just that...glaring.  Then again, maybe it is not the lighting.  Maybe it is my photography skills lack the ability to do justice to anything photo-worthy that I find at noon.  Still, there is just something about shadows and/or reflections that intrigues me so it seems only likely that my favorite pictures are full of them.

  Today was one of those heavily overcast days.  Actually, it was downright rainy.  Periodically, there would be a slight break in the rains and I could be found either in the garden or on the pier.  During one of the treks to the pier, I spied a Great Egret in the Bayou.  The large bird was hunting small minnows that were hanging around in the marshes.  I watched as it would stand motionless for a few minutes then snatch a tidbit from the water.  At one point the sun broke through the clouds for a mere few seconds and it seemed that the egret glowed!  The bright white feathers were in stark contrast with the shadowy marsh and murky waters.  I was in awe of this gorgeous bird!  The sun caused the white feathers to literally gleam.  Then another flash of white caught my eye.  Behind me on my brother's pier, another egret flew in to rest a bit.  This was a Snowy Egret.  A much smaller bird but still just as lovely.  The Snowy, however, did not gleam.  With the sun behind it, I could see the bird clearly but the "sparkle" was just not there.   It was all in the lighting.

  To be honest, I love Snowy even more than the Great Egret.  Snowy comes to visit often and will snatch mullet from my fingers. (Hopefully, it will never snatch a finger instead!)  I have become friends with Snowy but for some reason the Great Egret is a bit standoffish.  It has yet to realize that I am a ready handout of mullet.  Still, both are beautiful and a big part of my Bayou so I simply adore both!  Plus, they both are wonderfully photogenic!