Behind the Piece: The Watcher
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I captured the original owl image near Lewisville Lake in the Dallas area, while photographing birds in one of the shallow-water locations where I often see ospreys, eagles, herons, egrets, and other wildlife moving through.
I always scan the trees for nests.
That day, one nest sat especially high, and because the season was just shifting from winter into spring, the branches were still open enough to give me visibility before the leaves returned.
At first, I didn’t think anything was there.
Then I noticed movement.
The owl was turning its head from side to side, almost blending into the stillness around it. Using my Sony 200–600 lens with a 2x converter, I was able to get close enough to capture the intensity of its presence.
This photograph means even more to me because it was my first owl capture — and so far, my only one.
When I transformed the image into The Watcher, I wanted the final piece to hold on to that feeling: the quiet tension, the hidden beauty, and the unforgettable moment of realizing I was not just observing nature — I was being observed too.
It was one of those rare wildlife moments that felt still, surprising, and deeply personal all at once.