Lone Winter Bull Closeup

 

Sunday night we arrived in Elk County just before sunset hoping to see a nice Pennsylvania bull elk. We saw several cows and a few calves, but no bull. We persisted in our search and I was beginning to think we were going to get skunked, when I spotted this lone bull elk walking alongside the road. He was headed back into a run, so I turned the truck around, and traveled up the road in an attempt to catch him coming towards us. It worked! Before long we were set up with our tripods and clicking the shutters of our cameras. The backdrop consisted of some pine trees and the side of the mountain. Perfect!

Backgrounds are critical for quality photographs. I have captured many elk with my camera that have backgrounds that are just too busy. This is one of the main difficulties in wildlife photography–separating the subject from its background. If you are not successful in this method the resulting photograph will be unacceptable. After all, we are not after snapshots here; we are after photographs. We photographed this bull for well over 30 minutes and would have continued if the light wasn’t getting lost.

I like closeups of the elk, even the bulls. It is tempting to include their whole body and, of course, their large antlers; but I like to get up close and personal once in a while. These photographs reveal some detail we would never see otherwise. Look at the contrasting fur and pedicles of this bull’s antlers, as just so simple examples. I am quite sure that these two simple details would be lost if I had composed this photograph to capture the entire bull’s body and his antlers. Facial expressions on animals can be interesting as well. This photo shows some of the whites in this elk’s eyes. He is wondering what we are and what we are doing in his world. He is not totally alarmed but he is cautious, as his ears are up and on alert.

This last photograph shows even a bit more detail. Look closely again at the pedicles. Do you see the ring-like base protruding from the head of this bull? Do you see the tufts of fur below them? Do you notice the contrasting colors and size of the fur on this bull? What about the expression and the stare from the eyes of this bull? Each one of these details contributes to telling the full story of this bull as we encountered him in his environment.

My contention is the photographer who pays attention to detail and considers getting close-up will have quite a story to tell. Do you think these three photographs succeed in this attempt?

Remember that old saying: “a picture is worth a thousand words?” This can be true if the photographer pays attention to details. What stories do your photographs tell?

Assateague Ponies

Wild Ponies. These two simple words conjure up all kinds of thoughts that can run wild in our imaginations. Ponies running wild and free!

Assateague Island is the home of several hundred wild ponies. I had the opportunity to photograph them this past January. I was first in Chincoteague where I enjoy bird photograph. Oh a few mammals do appear from time to time, but the ponies are usually seen from a distance at Chincoteague. At Assateague, on the other hand, these ponies can come right up to you and literally be an arm-length away!

This particular pony warmed up to me right away and approached me. The rules forbid petting or feeding the ponies, but I will confess it was tempting! I refrained from physically befriending this cute little pony but then he followed me as I was walking down the path to photograph another pony. I guess you could say he tugged at my heartstrings!

These wild ponies display a variety of colors. This one is a paint–a reference to how it looks like God just used different colors of paint when creating these wonderful creatures! This pony was not as quite as bold as the first one, but it did warm up to me after a little time. Trust is not always easy for wild animals, which is why we photographers and wildlife viewers need to respect these animals and never give them a reason to distrust us. We have a big responsibility here and when we heed these high standards we not only get the opportunity to view or photograph these animals again, but we also allow future generations to do the same!

Interestingly, there are some small fresh water ponds on the island. They fill up with rainwater and provide drink for the ponies. They eat on the local grasses, which you can see hanging out of this pony’s mouth.

If you get a chance to visit Assateague, I highly recommend it. I know I will be going back again sometime soon myself. I just cannot get enough of these beautiful wild ponies!

 

The Delmarva Peninsula Fox Squirrel

The Delmarva Peninsula Fox Squirrel (Sciurus niger cenerus) is an endangered species. At first glance, it looks like an ordinary gray squirrel, but upon closer examination there are several differences. First, this squirrel is bigger, growing up to 28 inches in length, half of which is usually the tail. Secondly, the tail of the Delmarva Peninsula Fox Squirrel is bushier than the ordinary gray squirrel. It can also weigh up to three pounds!

These squirrels live in the woods and often stay close the ground. They can be seen searching for food, as in this instance, eating a pine cone or some other morsel.

The unique name of this squirrel comes from where it is found–all through the State of Delaware, and the Maryland and Virginia peninsula. This one was photographed in Chincoteague, Virginia. They are listed as “uncommon,” so seeing one and getting to photograph it is a special occasion. Their behavior, for the most part, is similar to the common gray squirrel with the exception that this species prefers to stay close to the ground rather than climbing high into the trees and jumping from limb to limb. It often prefers to escape danger by running away rather than climbing a tree. Females give birth from 1 to 4 babies in a litter and raise them on their own. They can give birth to two litters per year.

The Delmarva Peninsula Fox Squirrel was once found as far north as New Jersey and down into the Southeastern portion of the United States. By the early 1900’s the range was decreased and the squirrels were only inhabiting the eastern shore of Maryland. Predators included foxes, weasels, minks, eagles, hawks, raccoons, opossums, owls, and snakes. They are also sometimes mistakenly shot by hunters. Numbers have rebounded and now this squirrel is found throughout the eastern shore of Maryland and Virginia again, and in Delaware and even in Pennsylvania.

With continued effort, protection, and appreciation for this unique mammal; they will hopefully be seen well into the future. Who knows, maybe you will be able to photograph one some time soon!

Dinner Time!

Last month I was in Chincoteague, Virginia for some bird photography. I just love this place! There are lots of different species here and there are plenty of places to photograph them. I was a little rusty out of the gate the first morning and missed some nice birds. Patience and persistence paid off, however, and before long I found myself back in the swing of wildlife photography. I spent two days at Chincoteague and then spent part of a day in Assateague, hoping to get some wild pony photos. I did, but I was also surprised to see this lone Blue Heron fishing not far from the road. This was surprising to me because usually I see few birds at Assateague. This guy didn’t seem to mind me watching him trying to catch dinner.

It was mostly quiet–no cars, just a whole lot of wind! Still, this bird didn’t mind. With a hungry belly to feed it kept watching, waiting, stalking, and attacking the small fish in the vicinity. It was amazing to watch. The more time I spent observing and photographing this bird, the more I could anticipate when it would thrust its beak into the water after a fish. This watchful preparation helped enormously. Then with the jerk of its neck and a splash of water, the beak penetrated the water to snag some dinner. Amazing to watch and wonderful to photograph!

“Working the subject,” (which isn’t a phrase I actually like to use because how can this be work?) I saw more and more detail with each fish caught. Sometimes the little fish was caught well and it was a simple task for the bird to flip the fish from its beak into its throat. Other times, however, it was not a simple task. The fish was flopping dramatically and the bird had to figure a careful way not to lose this delicious bite. Catching the fish was only part of the process. Eating it could be a completely different matter.

Then there were those times when my camera and the eating bird seemed to sync together. I somehow managed to click the shutter release at just the right moment and everything was just perfect. The heron got its dinner and my camera captured the phenomenal moment! Isn’t it just great when everything comes together at dinner time?

Petting Not Allowed, Unfortunately

Petting the ponies at Assateague is illegal. This pony either wasn’t aware of the rule or didn’t care and wanted to test it! Not only did this pony come right up to me,  just inches away, but it followed me down the trail as I walked away after photographing it. Animals are truly amazing and sometimes they just tug at my heart! This one certainly did.

This particular day was extremely windy and overcast, which made for some very nice lighting. I appreciated these conditions since it  12:46pm, one of the worst times for photography. This just goes to show that you never know what might be possible at any time.

I often see the ponies at both Chincoteague and Assateague, but always have many more photo ops at Assateague. These truly are amazing animals and I can’t wait to be there to photograph them again!

Why I Like Wildlife Photography So Much

I like wildlife photography. Yep, I like it a lot! I actually like just about any kind of photography and I am currently active in sports photography, some musicals and plays, and a few other assignments as well. But given the choice, I will pick wildlife photography above all the others any day of the week!

Why?

Well, let’s see. First of all the subjects are beautiful, majestic, live in an awesome environment, and don’t talk back too much! That old saying is certainly true: “A bad day of wildlife photography is better than a good day at work.” But beyond the obvious, who could complain about spending a day outdoors in the beauty of God’s creation? Nature is absolutely spellbinding to observe and be a part of as a photographer. Even when our subjects do not cooperate or even show up, there is plenty of other things to observe and photograph. Landscapes are just one example, but smaller animals, insects, spider webs and more can be great alternative subjects.

Not that long ago, someone told me that you cannot be a wildlife photographer–it just doesn’t pay enough. I liken it to how most people honestly discourage youngsters away from professional sports, saying the odds of ever making it to the pros is just too big of an obstacle. Okay, there is no doubt that the chances are slim, but some people make it, don’t they? So why can’t you be that one?

I love it when people add their two cents, challenge me, and say, “You’ll never do that!” This happened to me at an early age and I’ve spent some quality time during my life proving people wrong! Maybe this is another reason why I like wildlife photograph–it is difficult and presents incredible challenges. I say, “Bring ’em on!”

Another aspect of wildlife photography I enjoy is the classroom-learning I experience in the field. I learn far more out in the wild than I ever do from any book or seminar. Don’t get me wrong, I do believe in the power of books and I have a good library of them, too; but the observations and learnings I experience on my own outings are far more powerful.

Wildlife photography has also provided me with numerous new friendships and collegial relationships–much more than I could ever have imagined! The bond we have among us is second to none. I feel more kinship with other outdoor photographers than I do competition. Not everyone feels this way I suppose, but I actually enjoy seeing other’s perspectives and photographic eye. This not only helps me learn to see things differently, but reminds me that there is plenty of space for us all. I made some very good friends over the past few years, all because of my interest in wildlife photography. This is a huge reason why I like wildlife photography.

Lastly, my longtime belief that “there is no place like the mountains” is probably the number one driving force in my enjoyment for wildlife photography. I love the mountains, and spending time trying to photograph wild animals puts me in the greatest place on earth! When I am at work in my outdoor office it doesn’t feel like work at all!

These are just a few of the reasons why I like wildlife photography so much. I enjoy the challenges as well as the people and places wildlife photography brings to my life. I am a better person because of my involvement in wildlife photography and I truly hope that at least a few of my photographs can begin to adequately show just how special and amazing wildlife photography is to me!

Bull Elk from a Different Perspective

This is a Pennsylvania bull elk. He is big but this is a different perspective from how I typically photograph these majestic animals.

This perspective takes in more of the surrounding environment where this bull roams. The foreground features a field of grass, which is turning to brown in the late fall when this photograph was captured. The background shows trees with just a hint of the changing color coming to the leaves.

The bull seems to be overshadowed by these surrounding elements and yet he appears to be just coming onto this scene. His majestic antlers are reflecting some of the light and they are huge!

What do you think of this different perspective?

 

Broken Bull Profile

This is a profile of a nice bull elk. I watched him for several hours one afternoon this fall. First he was feeding in a small field. Then he laid down to chew his cud. I took many photographs, went back to get my photo colleague, and returned to take more photos. It was an incredible site to say the least!

If you look closely at the top of this photograph you will see that this bull’s left antler is broken. It was broken most likely in a fight with another bull, and probably taking him out of contention with other competing bulls for the fall rut. Interestingly, he was accompanied by two cows earlier in the day but they wandered off in the middle of the afternoon. A bull with a broken antler is no match for a dominant bull and he knows it well.

Fights between bulls rarely are fights to the death, but broken antlers and punctures from antler tips are somewhat common. These bulls fight when they must and they fight hard. Capturing such a bull-fight is difficult with a camera for a variety of reasons. The aftermath of these fights are easier to photograph; like this broken bull profile.

Midday Light

Many photographers pack up their cameras and photo equipment when the sun gets high in the sky. This is understandable because the midday sunlight is often too harsh for good, quality photographs. However, some days provide excellent light even at midday.

This fall I was in the mountains of Elk County, Pennsylvania during a rainy week. It rained every day I was there! One afternoon I decided to take a walk. It was midday but it was cloudy. On my walk the clouds separated somewhat and the sunlight came pouring through. The light was absolutely beautiful!

Pay attention to the quality of light even at midday. Once in a while it will be okay to shoot photographs even when the sun is high in the sky.

Unique Perspective

I came across this bull elk after quite a hike. I heard some bulls bugling and did locate two of the three I heard, but it was far too thick with trees to capture any decent photographs. Somewhat rejected, I returned to a field I visited earlier in the afternoon. I was surprised to find two cows and this bull out in the field!

Elk can sometimes be predictable while other times they are completely unpredictable!

I was below this bull and set up my tripod carefully, hoping not to alarm or scare this guy. He just kept looking at me and studying every move. I was slow and deliberate and was able to capture this photograph and quite a few more. Eventually, he slowly stood up, reassessed his surroundings, and moseyed up the hill into the woods. Amazing! These mammals are absolutely amazing!