Jackie Schletter’s Spark Bird Story

The Tri-colored Heron: My Spark Bird for Artistic Photography

Every photographer has a starting point—a moment, a subject, or a spark that lit the fire. For me, that spark was the Tricolored Heron.

At first glance, it was just another bird. But as I watched it move—graceful, focused, and striking in its contrast of blue-gray, white, and hues of purple—I saw something more. There was artistry in its posture, drama in its hunt, beauty in those ruby red eyes and poetry in its stillness. I loved the white ‘cap feather’ and the breeding season colors that turned the bill blue. Capturing those moments made me realize that photography wasn’t just about documenting what was in front of me—it was about interpreting it, elevating it, and telling a story. This bird, these particular shots in fact, made me think about photography as an art form and what could be done with my camera and relatively easy post-processing in Lightroom Classic.

This bird helped me look deeper, to see beyond the obvious. It was the bird that opened the door to creative vision, not just technical execution. That single encounter shifted my perspective—and from then on, I wasn’t just taking photos. I was thinking through the shot, experimenting with settings … overexposing, underexposing, even shooting in ‘bad’ light to see what results it might yield.

At the end of the day I found a way to speak to conservation through this artful style of photography and processing. Viewers opened the door to discussion by asking about the medium – is that a watercolor or a painting? What kind of bird is that? Oftentimes conservation is told by depicting loss and suffering. I prefer to tell that story through beauty and the efforts that have saved so many birds from extinction and allow us to admire them in natural environments today.

Most unexpectedly, I have found the most joy in hosting photography workshops that teach others about birds, how to artfully photograph and process their images, and to enjoy their time in the field with these amazing, living works of art. Sharing my passion and hopefully ‘sparking’ another photographer is the best reward this bird has given
me.

Perch with Jackie!

@lowcountry_nature on Instagram

What’s Your Story?

In an effort to place the spotlight on the birding community I am seeking birders who are interested in sharing their spark bird story to be featured on the Modern Birder Collective. Whether you’re a backyard birder, nature trail birder, or in an urban setting, every birder has a story to tell which can inspire others to discover the joy of birding.

SUBMISSION

Want to share your story on the Modern Birder Collective?

It’s easy! Simply write up your unique spark bird experience and email it to modernbirdercollective@gmail.com. Be sure to include the following:

Your name as you’d like it to appear in the published post.
A photo to be used as the featured image.
Your story, written by you, I’ll copy and paste it directly into the post. It can be as short or as detailed as you’d like to capture your experience.
Any social media handles (optional) you’d like to include so fellow birders can connect with you and grow the community.

Looking forward to connecting with you soon & happy birding!