The story behind this print
Inspired by a centuries old connection between Eastern culture and the natural world ‘Snow Dance' focuses on the extraordinary grace and beauty of the Japanese Red Crowned Crane, shot against a snowy backdrop in Hokkaido Japan.
Just as the painter Degas painted ballerinas in the throes of movement and in the moments of focused stillness preceding and following the dance, these images seek to capture the grace and beauty of the crane’s mesmerising dance – once witnessed, never forgotten.
I went to Japan for this shot - understated, perfect symmetry. I had pre-visualised it, imagined it on my wall and now it was just a question of getting there and waiting. It took about four hours standing around in sub zero temperatures (-7 ° C) with mini blizzards rolling in every half hour or so but I was prepared for this so the cold never touched me.
I scanned the flock eagerly seeking out lone birds then hoping one would line up with my lens. Whenever I did find one they pecked to the left, then pecked to the right but hardly ever in the middle. The ones that finally DID peck right between their legs were always facing the wrong direction.
Many times I did spy one perfectly lined up out of the corner of my eye but by the time I lined up my camera they were off pecking to the side again and I missed over and over and over again.
I was never disheartened though. One thing you learn early in wildlife photography is that if you identify a behaviour and miss it the first time, there’s a high probability that the behaviour will be repeated.
Good things come to those who wait.