Photographing Sandhill Cranes: The Challenges and Rewards - Part 1

The first time I ever saw Sandhill Cranes was a good number of years ago, well over 20 close to 25 years anyway, while I and a friend were on a late season goose hunt on Oklahoma's Canton Lake. The goose hunt was pretty much a bust but all through the morning we kept hearing this haunting chattel like call echoing off in the distance. Neither one of us knew what it was so we decided to investigate. Eventually we spied a large circling dome of birds hovering and spinning above a distant shallow arm of the lake. We still were not sure what they were but eventually made our way close enough to where they were setting down to be almost on the very edge of their group. A large span of tall grasses hid our advance as we worked our way closer. It was quite a sight to witness being where we were, all but in the middle of this amazing flight of exotic birds. The odd thing was, we still were not sure what they were.

A little investigation later that evening revealed their identity and I was forever mesmerized by their haunting call and graceful dance across the sky. Fast forward to more recent times. Living now in Kentucky opened up an all new array of photographic and outdoor adventures, and I learned about how a few thousand Sandhills would winter over around the Barren River Lake area. It did not take long to find them and I began to photograph them with a renewed vigor. After a few seasons of this, I learned about a new and exciting and much larger congregation of them near Seymour, Indiana, something like 30 to 40 thousand of them spend the winter there. The chase was on and over the next several seasons I ventured the 3 hour drive up there to capture and gaze in awe of the spectacle of watching all of those Sandhill lift off their roost just before sunrise to head for their feeding grounds.

Photographing Sandhill Cranes provides a range of challenges but also an abundance of rewards. They are quite wary with sharp eyesight. Getting close to them is not an easy task although I have discovered it is easier to do when there are a large number of them setting down in a cornfield. Numbers seem to provide for them a sense of security. Even so, they keep a sharp eye out for any intrusions and you can't just walk up to them and start photographing.

Trying to guess where they will be feeding is a gamble for they might decide one day to use a particular location and the next day go somewhere else. The most success I've had was to simply drive around until I spotted a large formation setting down in a field, then position myself reasonably close and use a long lens to capture them. I've tried to move closer at times only to have them bust skyward. I've even tried to set up a blind. This has worked on occasion, however it is a guessing game as to where they will be and I've lost many an hour waiting on the birds to show up that never do. Using my Jeep as a blind works pretty well, but I don't like doing that. I much prefer to be outside where I can experience the full range of the moment where large flights of the birds fly over and set down in distance fields. Being inside a blind or a vehicle limits the range of the visual experience in many instances blocking your view of the full sky.

I always wear dull colored or camouflaged clothing so as to blend as much as possible into the prevailing background. Just to explain how good their eyesight is, one time I was in full camo, top to bottom including my face, and I was nestled inside some cover that lined a fence row. Sure enough a group of Sandhills came floating in about to set down a few dozen yards in front of me. 

They were descending maybe 75 feet or so off the ground and I moved ever so slightly and pointed my camera toward them. In an instant, they picked up my movement and flared off to find another safer location. Did manage a few photos, but learned very quickly just how wary they are. 

One of the most magnificent days afield photographing Sandhills I decided to stay until after sundown.

 Most of the birds except for a few straggler had moved off through the day leaving the cornfields around me mostly devoid of their activity. I figured they were gone. A few moments before sundown, with a bright and amazing sunset developing, They started flying through in groups of a hundred, then two hundred and more, returning to their roosting area. By chance, I happened to aligned with their direction of travel as they moved into the sunset. What an amazing sight! Thousands of them sailing by, calling to each other as they settled toward the setting sun. 

On another occasion, I arrived just before sunup and caught the full flight of at least 30,000 Sandhills lifting from their roost to head into the fields for the morning. An amazing sight and one I will not long forget.

In the near future, I will again be heading back to Indiana to witness and capture these amazing birds. Plan is to shoot more video than still photo's, then create a Beyond the Campfire Adventure Video program about the experience. Stay tuned for Part 2 of Photographing Sandhill Cranes: The Challenges and Rewards.

Red Letter Days: Photographing Elusive Kentucky Whitetail Deer

Over the years I could probably count on one hand how many true red letter photography days I've managed to have. They do not come all that often, one or two a season at most. By red letter I mean a photography day where everything falls into place; timing, subject, light, opportunity, and preparation. Two days near the end of November and into early December 2022 became such a time.

The farming fields that surround the area where I live harbors a great assortment of wildlife. Coyotes, foxes, birds of prey, and other small game, but deer are by far the most prominent. They may indeed also be abundant, but that does not make them easy to photograph for they are extremely shy and easily spooked by people. They are survivors, so they have learned to be vigilant or risk not surviving. These instincts are what makes them so difficult to photograph.

They have good eyesight, but can only see in shades of gray. They also have excellent hearing, but the one sense they rely on the most is their keen sense of smell. It is that sense that makes them a challenging foe for the hunter and photographer alike. They may hear you but that does not always generate a flight. They may even see you, but again that may not spook them if you remain motionless for they rely on detecting motion and if you stand or crouch and be very still, they may not be able to distinguish you from the background. But, if they get one whiff of you, they are most assuredly gone. But knowing this and how their other senses are used can be deployed in your favor when it comes to photographing these amazing animals. Camouflage or dull colored clothing helps to break up you pattern against the background, however, wind is the key. By always positioning yourself downwind from their expected sighting area, your odds of seeing and photographing these amazing animals greatly increases. It's also important to position yourself against a dark shaded background and to stay low so as not to present the form of a standing person.

Deer follow predictable patterns and tend to utilize familiar pathways and feeding locations. The corn and soybean fields that prevail around here draw them like magnets. The two weeks leading up to the end of November were the gun hunting season, so I stayed out of the woods during that time to avoid interrupting someone's hunt. But after it ended, I once again headed through the spit of woods that ends where two fields converge. Across the way about a hundred yards or so begins another more extensive woods, and that is where most of the deer congregate.

I wanted to capture some good quality photographs of these amazingly beautiful animals. I knew they typically feed in those fields late in the day and if the wind was right, I'd stand a good chance to catch some as they entered and begin their feeding. It was chilly, so I dressed accordingly. Top to bottom full camouflage was the dress of choice which included a full mess facemask and dark gloves. Along with me I packed a 3 by 6 piece of camouflaged burlap. 

Around 2:00pm I slowly walked through that spit of woods slowing and stopping just before I came to the end of it. A quick look revealed no deer, but that was expected and the down time afforded me time to get set up. A large cedar tree became my backdrop as it provided a shaded area out of the sun not so much to prevent my getting too hot, it was quite chilly, but to provide a dark area my camo clothes could blend against. I sat down with my tripod extended to its lowest level and draped the burlap across and to either side of the tripod effectively creating a simple but effective blind that would muffle and hide most any movements. The wind was good, blowing from my left to right which would take my scent pretty much away from where I expected the deer would show up. A slight adjustment to the tripod and camera, then it was time to wait.

I expected the deer would possibly show up between 3 and 3:30pm as I had previously inadvertently jumped them out of those fields around that time.  Right on cue, just after 3:00 I spotted the first one, a young doe coming out of the woods across the way. She was followed by another, then another. For several minutes, they were the only ones I saw, but the late afternoon light was awesome coming from behind and to my left flooding the field with long shadows and brighter areas. Before long a fourth deer arrived and he was a young buck with a small set of spike antlers. Within a few minutes a second buck  cautiously walked out of the woods. This guy was a nice 6 point with a well shaped rack. He was strong and healthy having survived the deer season and definitely was interested in the does as the rut was still on.

A short time later the does wandered back into the woods but the two bucks remained for a time before following them. Before long several more deer appeared along the edge of the adjoining field. They were a ways off but I was able to capture a few photos. As the light began to settle toward dusk, five more does came out of the woods and crossed over the field to my right. I suspected they would wind me as they crossed my downwind area. They did, but oddly they did not spook, they just got a bit antsy, and real cautious and kept looked over my way. Holding still and with the camo along with the natural foliage made it difficult for them to see me. 

Within a couple of minutes I heard a loud snort and thought they had figured me out, but when I turn my gaze toward them, they were looking in the opposite direction. Far across the other end of the field were two does and another buck...a nice buck somewhat larger than the 6 pointer. He was chasing after those two does. Too far away to get a clear image but I fired off a couple of quick photographs...then my battery died, the third one of the day to do so. I had no more batteries with me, so my photography day was over, but I sat for a while longer just watching. At one time there were around 15 or 16 deer in the fields at the same time.

I slowly and stealthily made my exit so as not to spook the deer. I could not believe my good fortune. I've seen a lot of deer over the years, photographed a few of them, but never have I seen that many deer together at the same time when I had a camera with me. My only gripe is I did not have a fourth battery and I missed the best light of the day.

A red letter day for sure, but the best was still to come. A couple days later I ventured out again. It was another gorgeous day with a light breeze blowing from east to west, not perfect but acceptable. I got there earlier and before long saw five does trotting across the edge of the soybean field toward that other wooded area across from where I was. Right behind them followed that same six point buck. All through the afternoon I caught glimpses of the deer, however they remained some distance away. Eventually, about 30 minutes or so before sundown, eleven deer exited that patch of woods across from me and angled across the Soybean field. I managed a few long range photos, but their line of travel eventually caused them to cross downwind of me and they caught my scent. Again they could not see me, but became quite agitated and eventually trotted across the field. 

I thought my shoot was over, but decided to stay until sundown. A short time later, a small group of does and one little four point buck walked into view way across the other end of the cornfield, well over two hundred yards away. By now the sun was quite low and created some wonderful warm light that spread across the field bathing the distance tree line with a warm glow. It took them a while, but they worked their way toward me and crossed over into the soybean field just after sundown. The light was very gray and dim by now, but I was able to capture some video and a few photos.

About all the light I had left was from the ambient glow cast across the sky. It was so dark by then I could no longer shoot video and a high ISO and slow shutter were required for photos. I started to gather my gear and sneak away hoping not to disturb the deer now feeding in the soybean field, when I noticed some movement across the cornfield. It was so dark I could just make out two deer, one was that little four point, but the other took my breath away. With his head down as he followed the scent of the does, his rack now polished almost white, stood tall and wide. 

I took a series of photos knowing the conditions were not ideal, but this buck was a true trophy class deer and just seeing him was worth the wait. I've seen a number of large bucks over the years, but never when I had a camera with me. This one was as grand of a deer as I have ever captured. Back to back red letter days photographing Kentucky Whitetail Deer.

Country Roads: Remembering When

 Can't say I've ever been lost while driving around on Kentucky's country roads, but I've sure been turned around real good. That's the nature of the country roads that weave and turn and crossover each other around here. Road names change at just about every crossroads and sometimes they regroup a few miles further down and revert back to the original name. Once I figured out this seemingly lack of planning, I became more comfortable exploring and seeking out the almost never ending photographic opportunities that abound within this Americana windfall.

I actually love driving around backroads. Most of the time I tend to drive slowly stopping ever so often to take a closer look at the historical evidence of times past. That's where the most interesting photo ops can be found. Sometimes I look for something specific, most times I just wing it and let the nature of the moment reveal itself. Regardless, what catches my attention the most, are the rustic flavors that can only be found away from the beaten path. I especially like old fence rows and old barns. 

The ones that cause me to slam on the brakes are the ones where a crop of some kind like cornfields and especially wheat fields converge alongside one of those old fences or barns.

Although I drive around most anytime of day, as with other forms of photography the best times to capture an interesting photograph are early and late in the day. During the summer fog will often greet the morning air and linger well into the later hours before noon. Catch it with a cool or warm sunrise and the sky will often turn pink or orange or red accented with blues and pastels. 

On occasion I'll find an interesting subject and make a note of where it is. Stopping for a while I will explore the possibilities identifying where the sun will rise or set or what it might look like on an overcast day or during a rainy day. I've returned to locations multiple times knowing there is a photo op just waiting to develop. Two, three and sometimes four times it takes before I catch it right, like one of my favorite photos of a mid-October morning overlooking the bottoms along Barren River. 

I knew the sun and fog would converge inside that bottom land if I timed it right. It took several attempts for it to do so, but the effort paid off handsomely. 

Driving the country roads is a year round adventure. I drive a 4x4 Jeep for one main reason; so I can traverse snow covered roads, or rough terrain. I've never been stuck driving that old Jeep. (By the way, it has surpassed 300,000 miles with a little help and upgrades from time to time. It just might outlive me.) Snow days are the best for that blanket of white turns a mundane ordinary looking scene into a winter wonderland and a photographers delight.

As with any outdoor photography, light is the key and the contrasts of warmth and cold are best captured at sundown. Even so, sunrise can often provide a similar contrast especially when an artic blast invades and chills the air to the point where nose hairs grow stiff with each breath. That contrast of artic air, hot sun rising, and a landscape attempting to retain its natural warmth often produces some of the very best country road morning scenes.

The trick to discovering great photo ops while driving down country roads is to be able to identify the potential in a scene even when at the moment you see it, the light may be flat or off and uninteresting. Knowing where the sun will rise, keeping tabs on the weather and potential cloud cover, even the prevailing wind can often lead you toward discovering something truly unique from what is otherwise an ordinary looking opportunity. 

The fall season is often one of the best as the sun has by then dropped lower in the sky and shadows grow longer with each day. Identifying a good location in the off season(s) then returning to it when the conditions are right can produce a satisfying reward visually and photographically. 

Kentucky backroads possess a wonderful Americana feel to them. There are numerous small towns that still retain that old time look and feel to them. The rural scenes seem to stretch across the landscape like a Kincaid painting placing you the art critic inside the real world artistry of the small town, rural American culture. It's a culture that oddly enough is beginning to fade somewhat as cities grow too large for the available housing space and developers buy up land and turn that land into housing additions. I've seen more of this than I care to see. I have photo's I've taken over the years of old barns and locations that are no longer standing or are now filled with homes. 

This old barn was torn down a few years
after this image was taken

It's sad in a way because other than complain, there's not much I as an individual can do about it. Maybe that's why the photographs I've taken over the years just might possess an important nostalgic look to them someday. "I can remember when" are sad words really, because they imply the loss of something important that can no longer be found. Remembering when before its gone just may be as important or maybe even more so, than when its too late.