A heron, gently stalking through the shallows not far from our flat-bottomed boat, is the focal point of this image. I layer the photograph from foreground to background, first using layers of rippling water and banks of dirt to lead directly to the graceful body language of the heron itself. The layering resumes behind the heron, leading to the marshland and pier in the background. I composed this image to guide the eye through the scene via a series of contrasting colors and textures.