I Tried an “Angry Ballerina” Photoshoot… and Met a Baby Duck Instead

Well, those are words I never thought I’d write!

I set out a couple days ago to do a creative photoshoot I unoficially called “Angry Ballerina.” I wore red tights and a red dress that was ballet-esque, along with the socks I wear to ballet barre. The idea was to break roses over my knee and smash them on the ground while surrounded by nature. Channeling rage. instead, I stumbled into one of those unexpected moments that remind you how much joy can exist in everyday life…

It was an okay shoot, but I feel like I was redirected back to my softer roots because THIS happened…

When the Story Changed

I was debating whether I should leave the park or not. I happened to walk past a pair of ducks, a guy and a girl, out on a date night by a tree. I said hi as I passed, of course.

Eventually, I stumbled onto a beautiful grassy hill—a true gem of nature. I thought I could lay there and get something interesting, so I set my camera up and got to work.

But then . . . I heard chittering. I see this baby duck over by a nearby creek, yapping its head off. To me, it sounded distressed. A the very least, she had some piping-hot tea she needed to share with SOMEONE.

I went over to see if I could snap some photos. There’s always interesting wildlife in that creek; last time I got a very bad, grainy photo of a white heron.

Enter Lillian 🐤

To my surprise, the baby duck not only obliged, but she came towards me. I was actually a little scared; I love wildlife and nature, but when they’re wild I also want to be careful I don’t get fleas or bitten by something rabid.

I was scooting backwards, trying to take photos as she barreled towards me through the grass. I eventually turned away to do my own thing, figuring she’d get scared and move on.

But . . . she came right up to me. For the next 30 minutes, she was always right behind me, at my heels. She, who I just knew was named Lillian, had a particular interest in my shoelaces and the little sparkly gem on them.

So, as the sun set, I ran around trying to hide my phone as I kept trying to focus my camera remotely and then set the timer off for a burst. I just was running around, praying, understanding that getting photos wasn’t important, but just also feeling like this was a special treat for me from God because I didn’t know I needed a playdate with a baby duck, but He did.

The resulting photos made me tear up. I take no credit for them, because I simply focused and set the timer off, then interacted with the duck while trying to be slightly photogenic.

After this magical moment, I knew I had to say goodbye. But Lillian would not leave my side. Every time I tried to climb up to the main path, she’d follow me. And I couldn’t be leading her farther away from her home.

I Facetimed my husband, turned the phone to the duck, and asked my husband what to do to help my new friend. After much back-and-forth, I finally decided on a good old-fashioned sprint.

An Unexpected Kind of Joy

I knew that was where she belonged. I’d seen her parents nearby, and she would find her way back to them. I was sure of it. Nature always finds a way.

Maybe soon, I’ll return and see if I can find her again in another moment of unexpected joy. I’ll ask her how her life is, what other kinds of interesting people she met, what kinds of small moments she experiences as a resident of a river basin.

But, for now, I’ll keep looking at the photos from this creative photoshoot and marveling at this precious creature I got to spend an afternoon with.

If you’ve ever had a moment like this—something small but strangely meaningful—I’d love to hear about it.

And if you enjoyed this process breakdown, make sure to check out my recent Wuthering Heights or Dreamy Carousel creative photoshoots!