The white Mute Swans from this series were captured on my first roll of film as a college photography student in the fall of 1978. The assignment was simple; go out and shoot a roll of black and white film and present the results for an open class review. My first thought was to ask two coeds I had recently met to model for my first ever fashion photo shoot. Yes, they said! Yet that quickly turned into a couple of portrait sessions at a large pond shaped like the shape of Texas, within the city park across the street. Nearing the end of the roll I suggested to my ‘models’ that they hike around the lake to give us a different perspective for the remaining eight exposures. Off they went…  and it was then that these three other beautiful ‘supermodels’ gracefully swam up. I sincerely hope the girls enjoyed their walk.

Dark Knight, the black swan included below, was photographed in Orlando, Florida a couple of decades later. It became another ‘meant to be moment’ as this magnificent beauty presented itself. I knew on first sight that the stature and grace of this large waterbird would be a wonderful compliment to this series.