Alert

The road curved to the left coming out of the pine trees. The beautifully straight line flanked by grass plains was aesthetically inviting. Naturally we look forward. What’s coming. Get ready. I looked back. “Stop. Stop. Stop.” The nose of the car dipped, our seatbelts hugged us, the tires found the dirt. I threw the door open before we stopped. I can still see my boot hit the ground and hear the crunch of the gravel.

I’m always fascinated by what happens to trees after a fire. The natural cycle. That’s not what is happening here but the contrast stood out. So much alive but also not.

What caught my attention was the hawk. In the tallest tree, at the top. The isolated sentry. Alive. Alert. Standing watch at the top of her guard tower.

50MM 1/8000 f/1.2 ISO 125