Location: Oregon Coast Trail, near Newport

Date Captured: March 2025

Camera: Nikon D7500 | Lens: AF-S DX Nikkor 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR

Photo:

A solitary crow perched on a rusted rail, surrounded by wild undergrowth, caught mid-glance with its milky inner eyelid visible—an ancient look from a modern day sentinel.

Journal Entry:

They say crows remember faces. That they recognize kindness. That they don’t forget those who’ve wronged them either. Intelligent, resilient, and often misunderstood—they’re seen as both omen and guide, depending on who’s watching.

This one sat still on a rusted rail along the coast, calm but aware. Not afraid. Just present. And it made me think: what if being remembered isn’t about greatness, but about presence? About showing up. About witnessing. About being part of the landscape in a way that leaves a quiet imprint.

Legacy doesn’t always wear light. Sometimes it wears feathers and shadow. Sometimes it doesn’t speak—it just sees. It perches at the edge of the trail and watches you pass by, wondering if you’ll notice it at all.

I’ve spent years trying to define what I’ll leave behind. But maybe part of the answer is in this photo: to observe, to learn, to carry memory in the stillness. To be the watcher and the one being watched. To not overlook what others miss.

Because in the end, memory is legacy. And like the crow, I hope to be remembered not just for what I did—but for the way I noticed the world.

– NV