Capturing an image of any wildlife comes with inherent challenges—environmental conditions, dark coloration that seems to absorb all ambient light, and unpredictable, fast movement. The bald eagle seems to combine all of these, and would take the crown for the most challenging animal I’ve photographed to date. 

The birds’ flighty behavior means you’re typically limited to a longer lens. As they swoop through the air, you’re left trying to center a darting object in your small telescope while keeping the camera as steady as possible. Their altitude often prevents you from showing any background other than an empty sky. In other animal encounters, you have a solid level of control over your positioning. Here—you’re at the mercy of the raptors.

You can improve your odds through preparation, planning, and the amount of time you spend around the animals. But on this trip, I hardly leaned into any of the three. I flew to Alaska with little other than the location, spending a total of twelve hours in Homer. Just  five of those were dedicated to searching and waiting for the right moments. 

Heading into this brief visit, I told myself it would be a success to return home with just one strong image. But those few hours on the shoreline in the rain—watching the eagles gliding above and swooping down over the water to hunt for fish—would have been enough. The photographs were just a bonus.

I’ve been fortunate to stand and swim next to some of the planet’s most remarkable creatures. There are few feelings, though, like the one that grips you when you watch a bald eagle soaring through the skies.

America’s bird was born to take flight, and it was born to fly free.