Photographer's Log Photographer's Log

"At Rest"

July 2007 - visiting my favorite beaver pond in the Valley. My dearest friend, Cheryl, was with me. We had not been together on a photo shoot since early Autumn and were overjoyed to be together. Stopping at the pond we offered a prayer up that we might have something to photograph. Immediately dragonflies began swirling around the pond and dive-bombing our car. Then colonies of polliwog and frogs began stirring around atop and beneath the shallow waters, the frogs croaking back and forth to one another, perhaps discussing the huge white frog that was now sitting on the bank of the pond making strange clicking, whirring, “ooh-ing” “ahh-ing” sounds, rather than croaks. (I often wonder just how creatures would describe me in their own languages, if they could ,when they hear and view me in my car as I stalk and photograph them.)

Suddenly red-wing blackbirds took flight right towards us, their brilliant red-orange shoulders glowing in the sunlight as I unsuccessfully tried to capture the colors in flight. Cheryl suddenly whispered, “look, look!” pointing to the corn field just behind the pond. There were two deer gamboling through the shoulder-high stalks of corn, stopping for a nibble now and then, but continuing to progress towards the forest’s edge in cautious alarm of our presence.

Cheryl and I were just thrilled by the beautiful creatures we were being given the opportunity to observe and photograph when, out of the corner of my eye, movement darting then going still attracted me. There on a blade of grass next to the car a dragonfly had just alighted, wings shining like newly cleaned window panes, contrasting arctic whites and mahogany browns and rose-blue violets alive with more glistening points of sunlight. As I watched him I could see him turning his head and craning to watch me also. Was I a danger or just a curiosity? Since he sat there for three minutes I believe I had been deemed no danger. Having caught his second wind he took off as quickly as he had set down, apparently eager to continue the “catch-me-if-you-can” flight games he and his friends had been playing all around the pond.

Filled to the brim with the joy of so much nature being offered to us just out the window of our car in ten minutes’ time, we drove on to find more beautiful and interesting things to photograph, so grateful for answered prayer. What a day we had. I am hoping we can go out shooting again soon. -June Mohan

Photos: (Copyright Mohan 2007) To contact the artist, please send email to: junemohan@hotmail.com