Grace in the Morning Sun: A wild swan family glides peacefully on Lake Jyväsjärvi, Jyväskylä, Finland, on a radiant August morning in 2020. While the papa-swan spreads his majestic wings, the young one seems blissfully uninterested in the show.
Behind the Shot: Amid the quiet of the pandemic, my almost daily cycling trips around the lake became a solace and I often saw this swan family in far away locations hidden in the reed. Watching this swan family from nearby was a highlight, and spotting them bathed in golden light near the bay was a moment of pure serendipity.
Michael Emmerich 