| Photography is art. Photographing is to be in love | | | | where they would hang out so I headed back |
| with your art. We will be talking about the light side | | | | through 24-28 inches of fresh snow (uphill). I found |
| of photographing wildlife in just a minute. First, may I | | | | the elk but I was too low and they were in the |
| ask. What impresses you about photography? One | | | | clearing. I sneaked back into the woods and popped |
| of the best landscape photographers I ever knew | | | | out slowly where they had been, trying not to scare |
| was Ansel Adams. He was a master at what he did | | | | them. They weren't there! I looked further up the |
| but in addition to this, he photographed areas that | | | | mountain and there they were (Looking At ME). I |
| after his photo changed dramatically. He | | | | tried to act like I wasn't heading their way and back |
| photographed the exact location of the San Francisco | | | | into the woods so I could come out where they |
| bridge, without the bridge. He was an artist in control | | | | were now. Out I came about 45 minutes later and |
| of his light. Another photographer's name escapes me | | | | they were NOT THERE! Up the hill I looked and there |
| but he did city landscapes. His photos had just the | | | | they were LOOKING AT ME! They had my number |
| right light at just the right moment. Although he | | | | and I thought I heard them laughing that time. Lesson |
| never saw what he was photographing, he saved | | | | 2. Wait for them to give you the opportunity to be |
| the moment for us. You see, he photographed from | | | | photographed.Lesson 3. Never come between |
| the feel of the sun on his face to determine just the | | | | momma and her offspring. While hiking in a National |
| right moment as it were since he was totally blind.I | | | | Park on the trail, we came across some elk standing |
| know a photographer that was flown 1500 miles to | | | | in the edge of the forest. The trail would be going |
| photograph a horse. Although he was impatient to | | | | right by them so I figured they would move on. |
| photograph the horse, he waited for 3 days hanging | | | | They didn't. They stood their ground and stomped |
| around a pool and swimming while relaxing in the sun. | | | | their front feet and "barked" at us. Yes I said they |
| He had deadlines to make so when he did | | | | barked at us! I never heard of this behavior before |
| photograph the horse, he was then flown several | | | | and no one that I knew confirmed hearing of it. We |
| hundred miles to develop the photos then several | | | | just left the trail and went around them. It was |
| hundred more miles to deliver them. Although | | | | springtime and I would give odds they had calves |
| impatient, his patience paid off with superb photos | | | | hidden in the brush.Lesson 4. Never get within the |
| that were the making of his reputation. He waited | | | | wildlife's personal space. While out looking for an |
| the 3 days because the sun was not just right on | | | | opportunity to photograph some Mule Deer, I wasn't |
| any of those days. The person who hired him was | | | | quite paying attention but just walking along. You |
| impatient because he had a close deadline to make | | | | know how you feel when you think someone is |
| and the photographer had already arrived a few days | | | | staring at you? All of a sudden, I looked down over |
| late. The photographer was impatient because he | | | | this ridge I was passing by and there were about a |
| wanted to get back home to see his newborn baby. | | | | dozen sets of eyes staring at me. They were |
| The newborn baby was the reason he was late in | | | | watching me to see if I would be a threat. I was just |
| the first place, and it was the lack of sun that | | | | out of their personal space so they didn't take flight. |
| detained him after he arrived.Photographing wildlife is | | | | I stopped, pulled out my camera with my long lens |
| no different. You still have to be patient. The wildlife | | | | and took pictures for 45 minutes. They didn't feel |
| you seek may come to you if you are in the right | | | | threatened and I got close with my lens instead of |
| place. In the process of going to them, you must | | | | my body.Lesson 5. Keep your pets under control |
| follow some rules. The rules are to use common | | | | around wildlife. I was riding horseback through some |
| sense but most people don't have common sense | | | | backcountry trails in the spring. I had a dog that |
| around animals. This is because they don't live around | | | | found me so I always kept him on a leash even on |
| them and don't know how to behave around them. | | | | horseback (be sure of your horse and don't get in |
| Let me give you an example. When visiting a National | | | | trouble with this one). We came up over this ridge at |
| Park, I read about a gentleman that thought it would | | | | a good trot and down into a little sheltered opening. |
| be cute to take a picture of a bear behind his | | | | Before I noticed, I was in the middle of a calving |
| steering wheel. He baited the bear with a trail of | | | | area for elk. There were about 30 cow elk and their |
| food, which the bear followed, right into his car. He | | | | calves in that sheltered area and I just kept going as |
| then slammed the bear in his car, which, you guessed | | | | if we belonged there. If that dog would have not |
| it; scared the bear and the bear trashed the inside of | | | | been on a leash, something terrible would have |
| his car. When the Ranger arrived, he had to climb on | | | | happened. Just a note also, the elk didn't panic |
| top of the car, reach down and opened the door | | | | because of the horse. Chew on that a while.Although |
| (putting the Ranger in danger). The door opened and | | | | there are a lot more lessons, I want to leave you |
| the bear flew for cover. He had met more than his | | | | with this. Enjoying wildlife is like enjoying children. You |
| match. The visitor asked the Ranger why they kept | | | | want them to have fun. You want them to feel safe. |
| such dangerous animals in the Park? Lesson 1. Don't | | | | And you want them to have positive interactions. |
| bait animals.I remember Christmas morning several | | | | Horses have been domesticated for 2000-3000 years |
| year ago (try 21 years), I was feeling sorry for | | | | and yet if frightened, they will revert to the thinking |
| myself because that was the first year I couldn't go | | | | of a wild animal. Wildlife are wild animals and they |
| home for Christmas because I lived in the mountains | | | | need to be respected as such. Think before you |
| and couldn't leave for more than a day since I heated | | | | photograph and photograph when it feels just right |
| with wood. I decided to grab my camera and lens | | | | like the sun warming your face. |
| and set out for this peak to photograph elk. I knew | | | | |