Capture and Delete

The other day, at the nearby park, we came across a small crow. It flew low and landed on top of a water faucet. Then it made a bowing movement and tapped its beak against the faucet's opening. It was as though it was trying to drink out of it. After one attempt, it flew away. Then a man approached us carrying a big camera. We started talking about the crow we had both just seen. According to the man, this particular crow is uncommon in this area. He seemed like an expert on wild birds. He showed us his bird photos and enthusiastically started talking about each one. Then he said something that got me thinking. "I take photos and then eventually delete them.” It sounds like a metaphor for something. I thought of Catch and Release, the practice common in fishing. Instead of consuming the fish, one would let it go. This method involves catching and releasing a real fish. But in this man's case, he captures an image of a real bird and then deletes this digital image. We should call it the practice of Capture and Delete.

At the park