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An Atmospheric Photograph

The freezing fog enveloped everything as I walked towards the causeway in Mote Park. Trees were glimpsed in the shrouding mist as sentinels from another time, an age gone by. I had gone to photograph the whooper swan, a first for the park, and was already feeling damp and uncomfortable.

On the causeway I glanced towards the island that seemed to appear and disappear with each look. Through the swirling contrails I saw the subject of my visit, temptingly close but it could have been a hundred miles away. Taking my camera from its case I took a shot of what was in front of me knowing that digital does not work very well in conditions such as these.

Who should come along at that moment but Simon. I showed him the resulting photo. "What an atmospheric shot," was his comment, before taking some of his own. "I'm not after an atmospheric shot," was my reply, as I attempted to focus on the swan again.

A closer examination of the photograph does show a picture of mystery. The island looks like the Marie Celeste with the whooper swimming just in shot. (I always wondered where that particular ship finished up.)

The next morning saw me at the same spot. It was still freezing but today the sun was up and there were blue skies. Our whooper friend co-operated and I was able to get some very good pictures of this handsome bird.

I must admit that I like the shots in the mist as much as the ones taken in good light and conditions. Simon's comment has been taken on board and sometimes I do go for the atmospheric. Who else I wonder has both a whooper swan and the Marie Celeste in the same picture?

Dave Sergeant.