Post by Cathy Chung
Photo by Bryan Holliday
There are moments in life that we remember forever. There are dreams in life that we pursue for one year, five years, 20 years or more. When those dreams come true, we are on cloud nine. It is like nothing else in the world.
For Aperture Nature Photography Workshop winner Bryan Holliday, a dream that he had been pursuing for 10 years came true on the first day. Bryan is an avid bird photographer. There was one bird species that he had been trying to photograph for 10 years and had not been able to do so. That species is the American Kestrel. It is a very skittish bird that flies away anytime people come near. But Bryan never gave up hope. He persevered and it paid off.
During the evening shoot of the second day of the workshop, heading to another location Bryan spotted an American Kestrel. He got his camera with his 600 mm lens ready. And this time it happened. The bird just sat on the post and looked right at Bryan. It was as if the bird knew Bryan had waited ten years for this moment. The light was perfect to make the colors of the American Kestrel pop. Bryan took a few shots and was amazed that the Kestrel stayed. He inched closer, the bird stayed. Bryan was able to take over 100 images of the Kestrel. Talk about a dream come true.
