South Island, New Zealand
Walking a river for trout is relaxing simply because the intense concentration involved – in navigating slick rocks, in spotting the lazy sway of a tail through a brief window in churning water, in the final moments of landing a difficult fish. This kind of focus drives everyday cares from the mind. The relaxation fishing brings is not a case of thinking about nothing, but about one thing and nothing else.
I’m fond of this shot, despite some imperfections. I’d rather leave them than play with it too much. It was a great day – this is my wife’s fish, not mine – and it is the last light of that day that makes this image a memory for me.
Peter P. Ryan www.faraway.co