Back in my college days, I shot anything that would fund my growing addiction to film and camera gear—weddings, bar mitzvahs, baptisms, and the occasional ordination. Every gig was exciting, but nothing… and I mean nothing… could prepare a young photographer for The Bride’s White Dress.
With a flash, that gown didn’t just reflect light—it weaponized it. The thing beamed photons back at me like a solar flare in heels. My light meter would just roll its eyes and give up.
Fast forward to today: the Great Egret. Nature’s bridal gown with feathers. The moment you think you’ve nailed your exposure, this four-foot-tall marsh ghost steps into the frame and nukes your histogram. Overexposed? Check. Detail gone? Check. You’re left with a glowing lightbulb on black stilts, wearing a yellow beak.
The only defense? Low sun or shade. And today—hallelujah—it was shade. I was minding my own business, focused on a Great Blue Heron, when a Great Egret floated in like it was auditioning for a role in Ghostbusters.
This wasn’t just any bird. The Great Egret is the proud symbol of the National Audubon Society, which was founded over a century ago to stop people from turning its elegant plumes into hats. Second only to the Great Blue Heron in size, the Great Egret (Casmerodius albus) stands over four feet tall, with a wingspan topping 50 inches. They are graceful, prehistoric-looking, and entirely capable of making a grown photographer mutter things not suitable for polite company.
I think today’s shot could win me the inaugural Casper the Friendly Ghost Wildlife Photography Award.
What do you think—should I start clearing shelf space?
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