From Above

A stack of books came home with me yesterday, some from the public library and some from that new book delivery. One has captivated me today: I Dreamed of Flying Like a Bird: My Adventures Photographing Wild Animals From a Helicopter by Robert B. Haas. The National Geographic photographer clearly explains his work, beginning with language used in photography, like "capture" and "shoot" as ways to describe taking photographs. He tells about the exhilaration of working as an aerial photographer and the unique equipment he must use for safety with the door of the aircraft open.

Most impressive, though, are his incredible photographs of wildlife. Buffalos and lions fighting each other are rare to observe from above. Flamingos gathered in a pink flock and then rearranged themselves into a flamingo shape. A single wildebeest somehow ran in the middle of a zebra herd. A great whale's tail rose just above the ocean surface in Greenland to be symmetrically photographed.

Today I have savored these and many other photographs and appreciated the wise observations that accompany his work. The combined effect of the images and words is powerful. The book is dedicated to dreamers. "Chasing our dreams is the thing that shows we appreciate the privilege of being alive."