Author Archives: bobshank

These Photos Didn’t Quite Make the Cut

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I enjoy the editing process of photography. After an event or outdoor photo shoot, I come back to my studio to edit the photos and see just what I captured. The first part of the process for me is picking the best photos. I use Lightroom 3.0 now and have learned how to quickly go through a large number of photographs and select the best ones. I mark them as picked by pressing the “P” key. Then I go back over these selected photos again to really narrow down the very best of the best. I mark these with a green label and then give them a star rating depending on the strength of each individual photo.

Last week I came home and had 72 photos that I picked and then narrowed this down to 11 of what I considered to be the best of the best of this photo shoot. These are the ones I show on my website, to colleagues, and to friends. Most of my friends don’t have the patience or willingness to sit through a slide show of all the photos I took or even the ones I think are the best. Showing our best work is an important part of the editing process.

I make sure to take the time to edit my picked photos and spend a little extra editing time with the best of the best, which are going to be seen by others. I am quite picky in this process but then I expect big things of my photography. Sadly, this means there are many photos that almost make this selection process but are just out of reach to making the best of the best category.

Here are three examples. The first one was very close to being selected, but I just didn’t feel the colors were quite right and I wished I had more of this eating bull in the image. It’s close, but didn’t make my final cut. The second one was also close to making it. I really liked how we can see the bull’s tongue coming out of his mouth in this photo, but again the colors were kind of flat. (The light wasn’t very good that evening.) It was just shy of impressing me enough to be picked as the best of the best. The third image has some weeds in-between the camera and the bull. This was distracting enough to be the worst of these three and not good enough to make the final cut. I certainly won’t trash these photos, but they just didn’t quite make the final cut.

Eat Up!

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Female cows are getting ready for the upcoming rut, too. This results in a tremendous amount of eating!

Last week we saw a cow feeding right alongside the road. She was content to keep eating even as we slowed down and brought our truck to a stop. Remembering how Lennie Rue talks about using your vehicle as a blind, we stayed in our truck. The cow was on my driver’s side, so all I had to do was roll my window down and start shooting. My  son, James, rolled his window down and slowly sat up on top of the window opening and shot over the roof of the truck. And all the while, the cow just kept on eating. These two photographs show in detail the eating process and the content of what she was eating, too!

Cows and bulls both are getting ready for the rut. They will expend a lot of energy during the breeding season so they need to eat up now! They are eating and will be ready for the rut. Will you be ready to photograph them?

Yeah, We’re Friends Now

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These two bulls were posing side-by-side for us last week in the middle of August. They seem to be good friends as they stand there in the field. Next month it will be a different story!

These two boys will go from friends to foe as they will be competing for breeding rights. I cannot wait for the rut! I generally like fall anyway–in fact, it is my most favorite time of the year. But when the elk activity at this time of year is added in, this time of year is simply magical! Bulls will be bugling and getting very excited, which makes any wildlife photographer excited as well! The rut is just around the corner and I definitely plan to be on the elk range for this wonderful and wild experience!

Yep, they might  look like good friends now, but just wait until next month!

Velvet Be Gone!

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This is an interesting time of the year for bull elk. Antler growth has occurred for some time now. The antlers, coated in velvet to provide nutrition for growth, are nearly done growing. The velvet that was so vital to their growth is now just in the way. It is starting to peel and fall off the antler. From what I witnessed last week, it seemed to me that the bull’s experience some form of itchiness and some low-level but annoying experiences now with this velvet. They rub their antlers on trees and bushes, shake their head from side to side, and even try to use their back hoofs to scratch the velvet off their antlers!

The breeding season is only about a month away, so eating and gaining strength and energy are critical if a bull expects to be in the running for a harem. Yes, this certainly is an interesting time of the year for the bulls.

Last week I captured two shots of bulls in this velvet shed. The first is a better photo in my opinion, but the bull is wearing a collar. This is not uncommon and the Pennsylvania Game Commission often uses collar transmitters to track elk and learn more about their behavior. It is a great tool for the biologists, but not so attractive in a photograph. My son has a great perspective on this that I definitely agree with. He says, get over it dad, it’s part of the story of the elk, so let the collar be seen. Okay, but it could have been such a great, breath-taking photograph…. okay, calm down, listen to my son’s logic. This is part of the elk story. Get over it.

I am so glad that we have elk in Pennsylvania. I am witness to the habitat improvement that not only supports the elk in our state, but many other wildlife species as well! On our property up on Winslow Hill we routinely and regularly see deer, rabbits, turkey, and grouse. We also see an occasional black bear or coyote, and much more! This careful and calculated protection of the land is vital for the survival of the elk herd and also supports all kinds of wildlife.

The elk are amazing animals. I can literally sit and watch an elk, even a cow, for hours. Some people only get excited about the big bulls, but I don’t care if it’s a bull, a calf, or a cow; they’re all fascinating and beautiful to me!

Here are two photos of the elk as they are beginning to shed their velvet. Look at the antler growth of these tremendous bulls and notice the velvet hanging down from their antlers. The first one is wearing a collar, but remember, this is part of the elk story. The second one looks a little more wild, and he was the one who I watched as he tried to scratch his antler with his hind hoof. I imagined it was an itchy experience and the big ole’ bull was thinking, “Velvet be gone!”

The Small Ones Attract Attention

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I was fortunate last week to spend some time in the mountains photographing the Pennsylvania elk with my son, James. We had a limited time and it rained much of the time. I took 1,122 photos and was pleased with 72 of them. Not too bad considering the lousy weather conditions. We got lucky getting onto elk early and often. By all standards it was a great trip!

I returned home and created a slide show of my 10 best photos to share on the website. I put that link in my previous blog entry 3 days ago. I received many encouraging and positive comments about these photos, but the amazing thing to me was just how much attention the photos of the elk calves received. It was truly amazing to me! Now, don’t get me wrong, I like the little ones, too, but I just didn’t expect these photos to draw so much attention over the others. There seems to be something special about these small ones.

Similar to our human experience, these little elk grow up fast! They still have their spots in August, but that will change rather quickly and they are already much bigger than when they were first-born two months ago. Time definitely has a way of marching on quickly!

Here are three photos of elk calves that I was able to capture last week. I can already hear some folk saying, “Ahhh, aren’t they so cute?” Yep, the small ones do attract attention!

Why I Love Photographing Wildlife

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The subjects don’t talk back! While this is true about wildlife I am being facetious of course. Although there are some days after dealing with difficult people when I do prefer being alone with wildlife! Seriously, I can think of nothing better than spending several days out on a mountain photographing wildlife. It does not matter to me if the subjects are elk, deer, turkey, rabbits, grouse, squirrels, birds, or chipmunks. The thrill of capturing their interesting and fascinating movement with a camera is a thrill to me!

This past week I was with my son, James, which come to think of it, is another excellent reason to photograph wildlife! We spent parts of three days on the elk range in Pennsylvania near our vacation property. The bulls are beginning to shed their velvet and we located a number of bulls on our trip. I can stand there all day photographing and watching the elk and think nothing of it. In fact, it is in these moments when all else is shut out that I most love. Life is far too fast-paced these days and I am definitely guilty of trying my version of running the rat race. But up there in the mountains life seems to take on a different and fuller meaning. If I could photograph wildlife for a living I would definitely do it!

One of the things that amazes me about wildlife photography is that I always seem to learn something new about the animal or bird I am shooting. I have been a hunter since I was twelve years old. That is many years of spending time in the mountains and fields! Yet, no matter how much time I spend afield, I always learn something new. Watch an animal, even a bird, for any length of time and I certain you will begin to see things you did not notice before. Observation is an incredible learning tool. My grandmother used to enjoy sitting in a crowded area and watching people. As a kid I could never imagine how watching people could be so exciting and pleasurable for her. Now that I am older and wiser, I think I am beginning to see her point.

I also thoroughly enjoy the challenge of trying to share the beauty of nature with others who cannot experience it firsthand. To capture the beauty of the wild takes a great deal of effort. We have to weather the elements, locate the wildlife, be at the right the exact right place at the right time, use our photo skills, and hope that we got lucky! Plenty of things can go wrong and often do. Perseverance and patience are critical and I am slowly, albeit slowly, learning these important skills necessary for wildlife photographers.

Being out in the wilderness is another side benefit. What can rival spending time in the beauty of God’s creation? Walking through the woods in itself is enjoyable to me. And then when wildlife suddenly appears it can almost take our breath away. I often wonder, how many deer, elk, or other wild animals did I walk by without seeing? These creatures have learned the art of camouflage and stealth out of necessity. Their very life depends on it! When we get a little wet or uncomfortable, we can hightail it back to camp and warm up. These wild animals do not have that luxury.

This week I enjoyed myself as my son and I spent time on the elk range behind our cameras. I love photographing wildlife!

Upcoming PA Elk Photography Experience

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Do you ever dream of being close to wildlife and taking photographs of wild animals?

If you do, then this trip is definitely for you! Dick McCreight and I have led wildlife photo trips for several years now and we can guarantee you will learn more about photography and wildlife, see some amazing sites, and have a great time! I saw a lot of elk this year and just this week saw some tremendous bulls and quite a few calves still with spots. The bulls are beginning to shed their velvet, which means the breeding season is right around the corner! Once the rut is in full swing, you can expect the bulls to put on an incredible display! They will be jostling for breeding rights by bugling, sparring, marking their territory, and rounding up their harems. It is my favorite time of the year to be sure!

Learning how to be a better photographer is easier if you don’t do it alone. I am always amazed at how much knowledge is shared between photographer on each of our photo trips. It is nothing short of amazing. For example, sometimes we come back to camp after  along shoot, open up our laptops to upload our photos, and then sit there and compare notes with each other. It is truly an educational experience. The best part, of course, is being out on the elk range photographing the elk. In my 20 years of finding, observing, and photographing the elk I see many wonderful sights. I’ve learned where the elk are likely to be found and know a lot more about their behavior than I did 19 years ago.

If you dream  of capturing the PA elk with  your camera, then this trip is one you should consider. We have two different “experiences” or photo trips. The Fall Rut Trip this September 27-30th and the Winter Experience February 21-24th. You can find out more information about these unique photo trips here. Join us for one of these photo trips for an experience of a lifetime!

Pennsylvania Elk

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I am just back from a week of vacation and another short trip away to the beautiful mountains of Elk County, Pennsylvania. Man, I love the mountains! There is no other placed I’d rather go.

My son, James, and I had a few days to get away since he is in-between baseball seasons. I tease my friends and relatives that I am a glorified taxi driver who doesn’t even get tips! Yes, we are busy, busy, busy, but I’d be bored otherwise, so I only complain in jest. Anyway, we had a few days to get away and it rained about half the time! This didn’t deter us though. We photographed two nice bulls in a steady rain. The bulls didn’t seem to mind us or the rain!

Here are some photos from our trip this week. You can see more of the photos I captured of the PA Elk here.

I hope you enjoy the elk photos because I sure had fun this week!

-Bob
bob@bobshankphotography.com
www.bobshankphotography.com
www.perfectgamephotos.com

Photograph the Action

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You’ve heard me say before that I love photographing baseball games. Well, today I photographed two games and the action was unbelievable!

The first game went back and forth as both teams battled it out on the field. There were several good defensive plays, some good hitting, and lots of action on the base paths. This is a sports photography dream come true! Hitting, running, sliding, tagging–these games had it all!

I enjoy the challenge of photographing the action. This is no easy task. Just when you think you’ve got your camera pointed in the right direction at exactly the correct time, something else can happen. The focus can be off just a touch or another player can run into the frame. Capturing the action requires paying close attention to the game. Do you know how many strikes there are right now? Where might the next action take place? Some luck is always helpful, too.

Here are six photos from the games I photographed today. I did not have a high batting average of great shots today, but these aren’t bad are they?

Black Bear

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Last week I was able to see and photograph a black bear!

You can view some of these photographs here.

It was great fun watching this young bear take bags from the dumpster, carry them to his stash, and rummage through them. It was fun to watch! I cannot remember a time when I was able to be this close to a black bear with my camera in hand. I made sure to follow wildlife protocol not to get too close and my past years of outdoor experience came in handy in this situation. The bear was not all that big but it was a thrill nevertheless.

As you can see, this bear has two ear tags that I assume were attached by the Pennsylvania Game Commission. I hope this bear does not become a nuisance, and more importantly, I hope some well-meaning but misinformed humans do not get this bear in trouble. Watching, observing, and photographing are certainly acceptable; but don’t get too close or try to pet wildlife!

I hope you enjoy viewing these photos.