Birds amaze me! They make their homes from seemingly anything including: string, twine, and even faux Christmas pine. (Yes, you read that right, I found a piece of it in the bottom of the nest and if you look closely, you can still see it).

Determination:

Where would I find such a nest you ask? Every year, without fail, birds build a nest like this one on the front door. Despite my efforts to discourage them, they are determined to build. After all, “their ” spot is protected by the roof overhang and when they build WITHIN the floral decor arrangement, it’s a very private location.

Resilience:

This year, as I was making the seasonal decor switch, I found an egg that didn’t make it. While sad, I thought it could be useful, but soon I wasn’t so sure. What would it mean to use it in a nest photo? Using it felt a bit “off.” I didn’t want the viewer to stay in that place of loss, especially because I know for sure that next year those resilient birds WILL build again.

New Hope:

The question became, how do I create a visual story that includes a positive moment too? That’s when the idea of manipulating the image using Adobe Photoshop software came to mind. Could I create a translucent image of the egg? I ended up using a basic overlay technique. Now viewers then have the option to wonder if the egg is fading or emerging. The story can now expand to be both an echo from the past of The Nest That Was, and new hope for the future.

If you want to learn more about how to use an overlay technique in your photography, I enjoyed (and will be exploring more of the ideas suggested in) this succinct tutorial Learn how to overlay images with Adobe Photoshop.

Your Turn:

Have birds “gifted” you with a nest in an unusual place? If so, where?

What about the translucent egg? I’m curious, what does it mean to you?

Let me know in the comments below.