One by One

At first, I hardly noticed them.

A small group of emperor penguin chicks stood in the distance, watching me with the same curiosity I felt towards them. Then one of them began walking towards me. It stopped just in front of me, looked at me for a few seconds, gently touched my jacket, and quietly walked back.

Moments later, another chick did exactly the same. Then another and another...

Before long, they had formed what almost looked like a queue. One by one, each chick approached me, paused for a moment, and then returned to the back of the group while the next one stepped forward.

My hands were freezing, but I didn't dare put them inside my pockets. I was afraid that even the smallest movement would break the quiet trust of the moment.

Some chicks gently brushed against my jacket or arm before making their way back to the others. Others simply stood in front of me for a few quiet seconds before returning to the line. It felt almost impossible to believe. There was no reason for them to come closer other than simple curiosity.

Those are the moments that stay with me the longest. Not because they make the best photographs, but because they remind me that the greatest privilege in wildlife photography isn't getting close to an animal. It's when an animal chooses, entirely on its own, to share a moment with you.