What is it about geese in flight?

These two geese must like each other to fly that closely.

Why do I even bother to photograph geese in flight?

It's been done a million times better than I can do it. It takes a lot of time and effort that I could have been spending on other things. And no matter how often I do it, I'm never satisfied with the result.

My geese in flight photo are never good enough. They're clichés. I almost hate myself for never learning that I'm not a very good goose photographer.

So why do I keep doing it?

Maybe I just can't believe I can't get these types of photographs right. It's too much of an insult to the ego.

After all these years of trying to take a good photo of flying geese, I still can't do it.

My camera isn't good enough. That's the excuse most photographers give for their failure. In my case, it's true. I never spent $6,000 for a camera body and $12,000 for a long lense. I took the photograph above with a used bridge camera that cost me $329. It's definitely not good good enough to take pictures of birds in flight.

So why do I keep doing it?

It might have to do with the ambition I have to fly. I've had that ambition since I was a boy, which was seven decades ago, and I've never learned yet how to fly.

Geese can fly.

I envy them. I think if I ever gave up trying to photograph geese in flight, I'd have to give up my ambition to fly. I see them doing it and think it's got to be possible for me.

I guess I don't want to give up my childhood.

After all, if you don't want to fly as a child you might as well give up on life.

I'm not ready to do that yet.