The morning began with a peek outside and an internal debate. The forecasted fog had arrived, and I wondered whether to head to Jordan Lake or crawl back into bed. I compromised—back to bed for a while, giving the fog a little time to lift. Forty-five minutes later, it was still plenty foggy as I pulled out of the driveway, unsure whether there would be much to photograph.
When I arrived, the fog had settled over the lake, softening the shoreline and nearly swallowing the trees. High above the water, a lone Bald Eagle perched silently, barely distinguishable through the mist. Within minutes of my arrival, the eagle launched from its perch and disappeared into the gray, clearly on a mission to find breakfast. Bald eagles are magnificent birds, but life isn't always easy for these powerful raptors. Hunting for fish in a lake shrouded in fog presents unique challenges.
Follow along as the morning unfolds...over the course of two minutes and 12 seconds.
These photographs have been minimally processed to preserve the muted colors, limited visibility, and atmosphere as I experienced them. The surreal conditions were too good to waste with much processing. They were captured at fairly long distance using Canon R6MII with RF200-800 lens at 1/3200, F/8, high ISO, zoomed to 800mm.
