I captured this image while working for Smithsonian Institution. My assignment was to photograph wilderness areas of Florida, Georgia, Alabama and South Carolina for a guide book to the natural areas of those states.

It was the kind of job that makes you explore areas that you may not normally go to. Granted I love to trek in the outdoors and have spent a great deal of my life camping, hiking and kayaking. Still my time is limited to how much I can spend pursuing leisurely activities. Thus when the opportunity arose where I would be paid to do something that I love and in greater depth I quickly packed tent, boots and kayak.

This photograph was taken in the Congaree Swamp National Monument of South Carolina. It is a perfect example of a personal discovery that I probably would have never made for not this assignment. I was in awe of the beauty, the stillness, the allure of nature and the scene that was punctuated by the bridge. To this day I am thankful for the opportunities my life as a photographer has given me.