Reading Time: 6 minutes

Since the onset of COVID-19, many of us have spent more time at home, discovering new hobbies and appreciating the nature surrounding us for me, this period of increased home time turned into a unique opportunity to connect with and document the lives of the red-shouldered hawks that nest in our backyard.

A New Beginning

It all started during the early days of the pandemic when I noticed a pair of red-shouldered hawks beginning their courtship in late January. With a newfound abundance of time, I embarked on a personal photo project, capturing their journey from mating to independence. Little did I know this project would become a profound and rewarding experience.

Heartbreak and Hope

Last year, the hawks’ nesting attempt ended, but the nest didn’t go well. All their eggs were lost, a reminder of the fragile balance of nature. I was determined to follow their story more closely this year, hoping for a different outcome. Equipped with my camera, I started documenting their progress, visiting the next day after day, eager to fill in the story’s gaps that I had missed the previous year.

The Stages of Growth

Mating (January – March)

In late winter, the hawks began their courtship. Their aerial displays and vocalizations signaled the beginning of a new cycle. This initial stage, filled with excitement and hope, was a perfect start to my photo series.

Nesting (February – April)

By February, the pair had chosen their nest site high in a sturdy tree. They diligently constructed their nest, a labor of love and precision. Capturing these moments highlighted their dedication and teamwork.

Egg Laying (March – April)

In early spring, the female laid her eggs. Over several days, 2-5 eggs appeared in the nest, each promising new life. I documented the serene beauty of the eggs nestled safely in their home.

Incubation (March-May)

Incubation required patience and vigilance. Both parents took turns warming the eggs, a task primarily shouldered by the female. I captured intimate moments of this nurturing phase.

Hatching (April – May)

Late April brought the long-awaited hatching of the chicks. They emerged, fragile and downy, eyes still closed to the world. Witnessing and photographing this tender stage was incredibly moving.

Brooding and Feeding (April – June)

The female brooded the chicks for the first few weeks while the male provided food. As the chicks grew, both parents hunted tirelessly to feed their hungry young. This period was a flurry of activity, a testament to the parents’ unwavering care.

Groparents’Development (May – June)

The chicks grew rapidly in May. Their eyes opened, and they began to develop juvenile feathers. I captured their clumsy movements and curious explorations, each day revealing new milestones.

Fledging (June – July)

By late June, the chicks were ready to leave the nest. Their tentative flapping and short flights were a thrilling sight. Photographing their fledging was both exhilarating and bittersweet.

Post-Fledging Dependency (July – September)

The young hawks stayed close even after leaving the nest, learning to hunt under their parents’ watchful eyes. I documented their growth into skilled flyers and hunters, and their confidence soared.

Independence (September – October)

Finally, by late summer, the young hawks became independent. They dispersed to find their territories, marking the end of this year’s chapter. Capturing the year’s journey to independence was a fitting conclusion to my project.

Reflections on a Personal Photo Project

Like any personal endeavor, this photo project required time, patience, and persistence. Returning to the nest day after day allowed me to document each stage thoroughly, creating a comprehensive visual story. This project has been a reminder of the value of long-term commitment to photography and the joy of witnessing nature’s cycles up close.

Conclusion

Through my camera lens, I have come to appreciate the resilience and beauty of red-shouldered hawks. Their journey from courtship to independence mirrors the dedication required in any creative project. I hope these images inspire you to start your photo project, find stories in your backyard, and embrace the process of documenting them over time.

Stay tuned for more updates and stories from Stanley Leary, Storyteller and Brand Builder. Until then, enjoy these glimpses into the lives of our backyard hawks.

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I hope this blog post inspires you to look closely at the nature around you and to consider starting your project. There’s a whole world of stories to be told outside your door.

Reading Time: 4 minutes

Introduction

As a photographer for the Associated Press, I’ve had the privilege of covering many events. Still, one of my most memorable experiences was getting the opportunity to photograph the Atlanta Thrashers in action. Surprisingly, when I first stepped onto the ice rink, I had only photographed hockey a few times. However, little did I know that my childhood experiences playing street and ice hockey in New Jersey would prove invaluable. It was a journey that rekindled my love for shooting sports and reinforced the idea that sports photography has much in common with capturing life’s moments.

Hockey: A Beautiful Challenge

1. Peak Moments and Scoring: In sports, whether it’s hockey, football, or basketball, there’s a palpable sense of anticipation leading up to a peak moment that can change the game – a goal, a touchdown, a slam dunk. Similarly, in life, some moments can define our experiences. Whether it’s a graduation, a wedding kiss, or a child’s first steps, these peak moments are the equivalent of scoring goals in our personal stories.
2. Anticipation Over Reaction: One of the critical lessons I learned while photographing the Thrashers was the importance of anticipating moments versus reacting to moments. A photographer must expect the critical moments like a seasoned goalie who anticipates where the puck will go. In life, too, predicting significant events and being prepared can make all the difference.

The Common Thread: Sports and Life

I discovered that sports photography has much in common with capturing moments in everyday life. It’s not just about fast-paced action and freezing moments in time; it’s about telling a story, conveying emotion, and connecting with the viewers. Here are some tips that I found essential not only for sports photographers but for anyone looking to capture the essence of any moment:

Tips for Photographers (and Everyone Else)

• Know Your Subject: It is crucial to understand your subject and its dynamics, whether it’s a hockey game or a family gathering. Study the game, the players, or the people you photograph to anticipate where the action will unfold.
• Patience is Key: Not every moment is action-packed in sports and life. Sometimes, the most potent images are captured during the quieter, more contemplative moments. Patience allows you to be ready when those moments occur.
• Use the Right Equipment: Just as a hockey player needs the right gear, a photographer needs the right camera and lenses. Choose equipment that suits the conditions and allows you to capture sharp, clear images.
• Master Your Settings: Understanding your camera settings is essential. Whether adjusting exposure for a well-lit shot or using a fast shutter speed to freeze action, knowing your camera inside out ensures you’re always prepared.
• Anticipate, Don’t React: The golden rule of sports photography also applies to life. Anticipate the moments you want to capture, whether a winning goal or a loving embrace. Please don’t wait; make it happen by being ready. If you wait to see a moment, the time it takes you to react it is already over.
• Embrace Emotion: In both sports and life, emotions run high. Capture the raw emotions – the joy, the frustration, the love – because they make the images relatable and powerful.
• Tell a Story: Every photo should tell a story. Consider the narrative you want to convey through your images, whether a game-winning shot or a candid family moment.

Conclusion

My time covering the Atlanta Thrashers reminded me that photography, much like life, is about capturing and precisely anticipating peak moments. It reinforced my passion for shooting sports and reminded me that sports and life photography have more in common than meets the eye. Whether you’re behind the lens or living in the moment, these tips can help you capture the essence of any experience and tell a compelling story through your images. So, get out there, whether on the ice rink or in everyday life and seize those peak moments with your camera or simply with open arms.

Reading Time: 4 minutes

Pink Floyd’s song “Another Brick in the Wall” is a theme about where significant events in life cause us and many other people to detach themselves mentally from the outside world.

Depression occurs in situations where you are so overwhelmed by your thoughts that you can’t relax to process these events.

Some events like a death of a loved one can get us stuck in grief. Grief is personal and individual, and every person experiences its nuances differently. While most of us learn how to live with this grief, I don’t think it has an expiration date.

The past couple of years has been hard on many of my friends. Some have prospered these past couple of years. However, most of my friends have been experiencing untold amounts of grieving.

The first Brick in the Wall in Pink Floyd’s lyrics is about the father leaving his son to go and fight the war. The father dies and leaves him alone.

The second Brick is one where school teachers don’t get to know him and are more about the boy conforming to their rules rather than trying to understand him and help nurture him.

“All in all it’s just another brick in the wall. All in all, you’re just another brick in the wall.”

– Pink Floyd

Pink Floyd’s twist in the lyrics is when those bricks are not just what is happening to you, but you become them.

The power of the song is in the art of storytelling. The listener resonates with the feelings of the storyline. They develop empathy for the story’s hero because the tension of the problem they are dealing with echoes their struggle. They, too, have a brick.

Yesterday I went with a group of photographers to see Minamata. The movie is about photographer W. Eugene Smith who travels to Minamata, Japan, a coastal city ravaged by mercury poisoning in 1971. Ushered by a passionate translator and encouraged by local villagers, Smith’s powerful images expose decades of gross negligence.

“I’ve never made any picture, good or bad, without paying for it in emotional turmoil.”

– W. Eugene Smith

His wife, Aileen Mioko Smith, said, “This kind of communication is essential; rather than just hammering facts, you get to know people, your heart is moved—and that’s what creates core change.”

Aileen Mioko Smith said, “We went there at a time when already lots of media had been there, and if anything, patients were burned by people coming in, intruding and shooting for 30 minutes and then leaving, just using them as an assignment.”

Now the most exciting thing about Eugene Smith that is different from most photojournalists today is his commitment to the subject with his time. He would live with his issues for periods.

National Geographic has always understood this was the key to powerful images and storytelling through the years. It takes time.

Bricks are so helpful in a building. In the story of the three little pigs, we realize the house made of bricks is the one the wolf could not blow down.

I see many of these Brick Events in my life as what brought on depression. In some ways, depression enhances your life and improves your functionality. For example, I find depression to give me insights that help deepen relationships.

Most everyone will have Life Events or, as Pink Floyd describes, Bricks. Those who can help us see these events in perspective are the storytellers. They are the mortar that allows us to construct those events into a foundation, for which more bricks can be added.

Every story has a brick, or as Joseph Campbell, author of the Hero’s Journey, put it, a crisis/tension that people cannot solve alone. The hero departs on a journey that, when completed, will be different.

The best storytellers are the ones that do the best job of introducing the character and the problem that they are dealing with in the story. In the movie I saw of Eugene Smith, he realized he had to spend the time to get to know the people of Minamata. At the turning point in the film, Smith becomes the mentor to the people of Minamata. He does this by asking them to let him photograph very intimate moments in their lives so that the world will understand their plight with mercury poisoning.

Ah Ha Moment!

Not long ago, I realized that my degree in Social Work and my work as a Photojournalist were similar. As a counselor, you spend a lot of time getting to know someone. You use the technique of mirroring.

The skill and art of this seemingly simple strategy of mirroring lies in being fully present to hear what has been said and in being able to take on the perspective of the other so that you can pull out the underlying theme from what is sometimes a long, rambling, almost incoherent speech where fleeting, free-floating ideas are being put into words.

I found that the mirroring process in counseling was me hearing their story and then repeating it, but in a more concise way than they had delivered it to see if I truly understood their plight.

As a journalist, I was doing the same thing and listening to and clarifying their story. The power of the photograph and video I use today is their ability to pull an audience into the story powerfully and authentically.

My joy comes from being able to do like Eugene Smith and help a person or an organization to tell their story more effectively using my visual storytelling skills.

Eugene Smith knew that the audience needed to see the hero of a story dealing with their conflict.

I resonate with Eugene Smith’s words, “The first word I would strike from the annals of journalism is the word objective. I think you need to understand the subjects, not worry about losing your objectivity, and side with them if you get close. It was about understanding their reality and what they were really like.”

I think Eugene Smith was an advocate of using the principles in photojournalism.

“The journalistic photographer can have no other than a personal approach, and he can’t be completely objective. Honest—yes. Objective—no.”

– W. Eugene Smith