The Marsh, Listening

by darr | Mar 12, 2026 | behind the lens

marsh wrapped in soft fog
heron waits in still water
morning listening

Camera:Hasselblad 907x 50c

Lens:Hasselblad XCD 75P

Digital:50 MP [44×33] CMOS

Software:Adobe Lightroom

Date:February 2026

Location:Wakulla County, FL

Genre:Landscape

Style:Minimalist

After several months inside the studio producing the Lighting 101 series, the marsh began calling again. Winter was slowly giving way to warmer mornings, bringing the quiet fog that sometimes settles over the water this time of year. It felt like the right moment to step outside again.

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One morning before sunrise I packed my camera and drove toward one of my favorite marsh locations. Warm air rising from the water created a soft veil of fog over the marsh.

The scene unfolded slowly. A pale sky began to glow above the trees as the marsh settled into the gentle, muted palette that only fog can create. The still water reflected the early colors of morning, and the land seemed suspended somewhere between night and day.

Moments like this are one of the reasons I love photographing the marsh. There is little movement, little noise, and almost no urgency. A lone heron stood along the water’s edge, barely disturbing the surface as fog drifted quietly through the trees.

After weeks of studio lights, grids, diagrams, and lesson writing, standing there with a camera in the open air felt like taking a deep breath.

Sometimes photography chases dramatic moments.
Other times it simply stands still long enough to listen.

Field Note

This photograph was made with a Hasselblad 907x and the XCD 75P lens. For landscapes I often prefer normal to short telephoto lenses rather than very wide ones. The slightly longer focal length creates a gentle compression between foreground and background that feels closer to how I experience the scene. The 75P is also one of the lighter and more affordable lenses in the Hasselblad lineup, and its compact size makes it easy to carry. It has quietly become one of the lenses I reach for first.