Quite often my most beautiful photos are of the simplest, most common subjects that I find in nature, like this White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis) that I photographed recently at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. The elements of this image—the lighting, the pose, the framing, and the color palette—work together almost perfectly to create a harmonious, warm feeling for me that is hard to describe with words.
It is a bit of a cliché to say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but it is nonetheless true. Perhaps you’d dismiss this photo because the main subject is a nondescript little bird or maybe you prefer more colorful images with more “pop.” In my photography I try a variety of approaches to capture the beauty that surrounds us and have varying degrees of success in doing so.
For me, this one image is almost perfect. There is always the chance, however, that I will be able to capture something even more perfect in my next photos, so I’ll keep trudging on with my camera.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 