A Close Encounter With a Grey Heron
Bence Mate takes photographs of unparalleled intimacy
![A heron flies begins to land on the water. It's legs are very close.](/sites/default/files/styles/sierra_full_page_width/public/2023-06/2019-3-OpeningShot-ph1-WB.jpg.webp?itok=ftPUTNjc)
Bence Mate/NPL/Minden Pictures
Hungarian photographer Bence Mate captures wildlife images of unparalleled intimacy by constructing blinds with one-way glass. These allow him, or remote-controlled equipment, to stay concealed even as birds and other animals come up to the camera. In this shot, a grey heron that was perched on his blind swoops down on a great white egret. The legs are the heron's, and the wings belong to the egret.
This article appeared in the March/April 2019 edition with the headline "Hidden Camera."