The Passing of Life...

Nature can be a little funny thing at times, but every now and then it may seem a little cruel. A while back when living in Los Angeles, I came home from work and school to pick up a few items I needed for a photo shoot. Normally I would have entered through the front door, but for whatever reason I decided to go around to the backyard. Out of no where I see a tiny object on the concrete that just didn't seem to belong there. As I walked down the stairs, I started to realize that the small object was a dead baby bird. Typically I would have just walked passed it, but for whatever reason I felt I needed to photograph this bird. I walked back to the car to retrieve my camera while saying to myself, "I know I shouldn't do this, but I have to."

With my camera in hand, I walked back to document my discovery. Ironically I already had my macro extension tube on the camera, and was able to create images inches away from the fallen chick. I continued to photgraph the bird from a variety of angles. Out of the corney of my eye the vibrant colors from across the way caught my attention. The idea of a funeral came to mind with all the beautiful flowers laid atop the caskit. I decided to place the birds on top, or in the flowers as if it was a natural resting place.

For the next eight days I came across many birds that had passed in different stages of development. A few birds were days old, others where developing feathers, or dried up due to the blistering heat from the sun and concrete. I never could figure out where the birds were coming from, and why they passed or were pushed out the nest. I created over 300 images of the birds, both as I found them, and on the flowers I rested their bodies on. After documenting each of the birds, I laid them to rest in flower beds in which I photographed them in, allowing them to become a perminant part of our earth.

Through this series, I realized that it is okay to let go, and explore the world around you, even if it didn't seem to be the norm. The way I see things as a photographer has broadened dramatically since then. Monther Nature can teach you some amazing thigns.