Rosemarie Keough almost died taking a penguin’s picture.
Nature photographers live in danger. Lions on the savannah, bald eagles cliff-side in California, and diving to capture the underwater habits of adorable penguins are all a part of the job. The danger just makes it a little more interesting.
But this particular day, Rosemarie wasn’t in danger. It wasn’t even particularly cold out. It was slippery and there happened to be a steep hill nearby, but neither Rosemarie nor her companions were worried.
She crouched down to get a shot of her favorite little troublemaker. He hadn’t let her get in close, and always turned away right when her finger touched the shutter release. She adjusted the focus, and took the picture.
She got it!
She was sure she’d gotten it. She tilted the camera up to check the preview. Just then, the wind rose up and shifted her balance. She wobbled in her squatting position, readjusting so she wouldn’t end up on her rear.
She slipped.
Her companions watched as she tumbled down the hill toward the water and some nearby leopard seals. They were after her almost as quickly as she fell, and rushed her to the hospital for stitches and rest for her cracked skull.
But Rosemarie didn’t care about any of that. When she woke up, the first thing she said was, “How’s my camera?!” Unlike her, the camera was fine.
The even better news was that she got the picture.
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| Writing Prompt #798 To read the true story of how wildlife photographer Rosemarie Keough nearly lost her life, click here. |
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