On a typical photographic holiday, I will shoot between two and three thousand photographs.  I know, but I want to come home with at least 40 or 50 good shots.

Typically, I process shots immediately after returning home.  And, more often than not, I don’t spend enough time looking at each individual shot.  So, when I have the time, I go back and look at shots done from previous trips.  Like these shots from Alaska in 2008.

Stealing the Catch

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I had overlooked the shot of the two eagles for lots of reasons, only to find on close examination that it isn’t all that bad.  After all, wildlife photography is often about action.

Of course it can be other things as well; as in this shot of a mountain goat (Oreamnos americanus) and her newborn kid, photographed from a boat in Kachemak Bay, about 50 miles South of Homer.

Mountain Goat and Kid

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Or this shot of two Sea Otters (Enhydra lutris) who were dismayed by the approach of our boat.  At first, I thought the blown out highlights had destroyed the image, but again, after looking at the shot I decided that the action overshadowed the obvious flaws of the shot.

Sea Otter Dismay

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Sometimes photography is about luck, as when I met this Juvenile Bald Eagle which allowed me to approach close enough for a shot with my 24-105mm lens.

Juvenile Bald Eagle

The experience of being within six feet of a wild Eagle is difficult to explain.  At one point the bird could be heard quietly speaking, as if it were trying to communicate to me.  So, even a documentary shot can bring back memories that we may treasure.

As in this example of another Sea Otter which seemed to be saying a prayer as our boat approached.

Morning Prayer

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While none of these photographs are among the best ones I have done, and each suffers from technical issues, I still enjoy looking at them because of the memories of just being there.

Morning at the Point

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So, my friend, keep some of those shots you might normally discard for the memories of them.  Memories serve to remind us of how good it was to be out there in the world and serve to encourage us to plan another trip.  The one thing I know is that looking forward to new adventures keeps my spirit alive.