The background of a scene is often an important part of the visual story telling of an image. This is a shot of a magnificent Great Blue Heron in flight. In the background isn't vast, untamed wilderness- it's a house. That's because the image was captured at the San Elijo Lagoon, an amazing wildlife sanctuary nestled in the densely populated North San Diego County coastal strip. The shot shows just how connected we are to the wildlife here, and how important it is for us all to do what we can to protect the fragile environment we all call home.

This image is copyrighted by the photographer and may not be used without permission.