I have lived in Austin for the majority of my life, yet would you believe I had never been to see the Congress Avenue bats leaving their nest? I rectified that last week, heading to the bridge at sundown. It was quite the scene—the bridge itself was lined two or three deep, and many folks waiting to observe below, either on the shoreline or in the water itself in boats and kayaks.
I had a vision for a potential photo, but having never been, I wasn’t quiet sure what to expect, or the best vantage point. I elected to stand on the bridge itself, which in hindsight was less than ideal, but I did manage to snap this shot of a cluster of bats against a cloudless sky.
My favorite thing about this type of a photograph is the mix of planning and spontaneity. I knew what I wanted to capture—bats against the sky—but the pattern and shape of the bats the moment I press the shutter is completely out of my control.