You never really know how your actions shape your kids. My son, Oli, has watched me head out into the early dawn along the Columbia River Gorge for photography more times than I can count. He's never openly expressed an interest in witnessing the sunrise — yet whenever I see videos of his adventures, that magical morning light is always present.
Recently, he went fishing with a friend in the early morning hours near Hood River. I happened to be out there too, photographing the Columbia Gorge sunrise from a distance. Weeks later, while reviewing my photos, I was amazed to spot him right there in the frame — fishing for sturgeon on the Columbia River.
The coincidences didn't stop there. Later that morning, I flew my drone near the Hood River Bridge as the center span opened for a passing boat. I tilted the camera down and — no joke — there was Oli and his friend reeling in a sturgeon. Catching that moment on video, suspended between the sky and the river, was absolutely incredible.
Location: Columbia River Gorge, Hood River, Oregon
