Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Swift River Reflections


The Swift River in NH is one of my favorite places in New England. Swimming in the summer is outstanding. Photography in the fall is even better! In the morning and the afternoon the sun reflects off of the fall foliage, making fantastic colors upon the water. The rocks strewn about the river become visible as the water lowers late in the summer. These rocks are fantastic anchors for a beautiful composition with flowing water.

As I was making this photograph, I heard a quiet crunch in the forest behind me. I was so focused on making my shot that I didn't pay it any attention. I continued working on this shot and then I heard another crunch. It was a little louder this time, but it still didn't concern me. So I kept shooting. On the third crunch, which was much closer and significantly louder, I decided that I better look to see what was behind me...

Much to my surprise I was standing only 15 feet away from a young bull moose! He was staring back at me as if to say, "Who the heck are you?" I quickly fumbled to get my camera settings ready for a shot. Unfortunately, he was hidden behind some small trees. I made two very unsatisfactory images. Then he turned and walked away as quickly and quietly as he came.

I was disappointed to have missed the shot, but I was ecstatic to have seen the moose! Photographing the fall colors, while standing in the middle of the Swift River and seeing a moose was exactly why I had got up at 2AM to be there. It doesn't get better than that! This was a great start to a great day!

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