Swans are truly ethereal beings, and their grace has served as an inspiration to artists for centuries. As I stood on the banks of the Snake River on one bitterly cold winter morning, I found myself likewise inspired. In this scene, two trumpeter swans glide across the waters of the river while the sun graces the misty landscape as it rises. The title Ethereal references the nearly unbelievable nature of the sun and the balletic positioning of the swans – the term literally means “extremely delicate and light in a way that seems too perfect for this world.” Is there a word that better encapsulates this idyllic scene?

However, the morning’s heavenly look was in a way deceiving; the mist spiraling skyward betrays the intensity of the cold – in fact, it was approximately -12°F when I set out that morning and did not warm as I reached my vantage point. All of the frames had to be captured with a cable release to keep my shivering body from shaking the camera, and by the time I finished shooting my fingers were close to frostbite. It wasn’t the first time as a photographic artist, and it certainly wasn’t the last. It’s a small price to pay to immortalize moments like this, which truly seem “too perfect for this world” indeed.

Fun fact – Trumpeter swans, like those seen here, are the largest waterfowl in the world. These magnificent birds form life-long bonds with their mate, and you can often hear them calling to their partners in a rich, trumpeting call that echoes over the landscape. It’s hard to believe we almost lost this species forever – in fact, in 1933 no more than 70 remained in the US. However, a discovery of several thousand in a hidden valley in Alaska allowed conservationists to eventually reintroduce them to their historic range, and as a conservationist it fills me with wonder to hear that swan song ringing out in the cold mornings of the Tetons once again.