Behind The Scenes: How the Photo Was Made

For the new year 2023, a new Behind the Scenes series will be included for Beyond the Campfire called How the Photo Was Made. We'll mostly look at what it took to capture a particular photo, things like the concept idea, the set up, the physical and technical difficulties, and other pertinent revelations that apply to any particular photo. The story of how a photo was made is sometimes filled with drama, circumstance, knowledge, skill, and plain ole luck. Not all photos just happen. Sometimes it takes planning and perseverance to capture the natural world, and we will explore the making of a few photos that have a story behind them that led to the capture.

The first photo is one I captured late on New Years Day 2023. All through the fall and into the winter of 2022 I followed a herd of deer that ranged in the woods and fields behind where I live. Upwards to 30 deer in multiple groups I've seen scattered across the corn and soybean fields. They have been fun to watch and to photograph, however it's not as easy as it might seem. To capture an image of a wild whitetail deer like this one of the young buck requires an element of stealth, camouflage, persistence, observation, following the weather and wind direction, and overall planning the shoot. 

Whitetail deer are one of the most wary of natures wildlife. They have good to excellent eyesight and hearing, but most of all their keen sense of smell is what they rely on more than anything to avoid danger. Having been hunted for hundreds of years, these guys have developed an instinct for survival second to no other critter in the wild. Human smell causes them a great deal of stress and caution, and will almost always result in a flight out of harm's way. So, getting close requires all the same elements a skillful hunter would use.

The photo above didn't just happen. He did not simply walk out in front of me and I took his portrait. In fact, I almost never saw the guy not to mention capture his photo. The week before Christmas 2022, the weather took a deep dive into frigid territory with temperatures dropping to below zero-f. Snow followed the cold and covered the ground with an icy mix. I wanted to capture some photos of the deer in the snow so I braved the cold and managed to get a few images none of which were all that good. In the process I began to recognize a pattern of one group of deer. Eight to ten, along with a couple of young bucks would, about an hour and half before sundown, leave the woods at the east end of the corn field near a pond and venture into the field to feed. 

For several days, as the snow melted, I set up in my usual location at the west end of the cornfield, about 250 yards or so from that pond. It was a good location as it afforded me a commanding view of both the corn and soybean fields and I was able to capture some decent environmental images of the deer from long range.

 Several times, the sun would set behind me and cast a wonderful warm glow across the fields. I began to realize I was missing a great opportunity to capture some backlight images of these deer. Doing so required that I set up near that pond. Doing that created a myriad of potential problems.

In order to get the photos I wanted would mean I would literally be located in the midst of that same group as they meandered into the field if they followed the same pattern. The conditions would have to be almost perfect, especially the wind. If it were moving in the wrong direction, they would pick up my scent and be gone. If it was cloudy, there would be no warm light. If I were not completely camouflaged, I risked they would catch my movement and be gone. Everything had to fall into place. 

Jan 1, 2023...New Years Day...the conditions were close to being right. The wind was out of the south by southwest, a gentle breeze really, but enough to cause some concern by its direction. By mid-afternoon the sky was clearing and there would be some warm light late in the day. I packed my gear and headed out.

Next to the pond a cluster of cedar trees offered a dark background to setup against. I prefer setting up with a dark background behind me as it offers a better blending of camouflage. In front of me a few yards stood some tall little bluestem grasses which provided another layer of cover. I nestled close to the cedar trees and broke out the camouflaged burlap and extended it across in a slight arch connecting the center of it to my camera tripod and using two stout sticks to prop up each end. It made an effective, quick and easy, hide/blind to sit behind.

I was fully camouflaged top to bottom, with a facemask and wearing a 3-D leafy top cover to break up my profile. The camera lense was even camouflaged. I felt confident as long as the deer entered the field from my left as had been their pattern. If they did, then the wind would be in my favor. If not, odds fell off for a successful photoshoot. 

About twenty minutes passed and the woods around me settled down. Lots of birds were feeding in the field and I made a couple of photos. I noticed some movement to my right. In the woods a young doe was inching toward the field. I froze and knew she would pick up my scent any moment. Behind her another doe, a bigger one followed. They both entered the field. The young one seemed calm, however the momma doe was alerted. She had indeed picked up my scent but could not see me. The breeze was shifting at once from my left, then from behind, then from my front. This must have confused them. The momma doe pranced around and moved toward me coming to within maybe ten yards. I dared not move or try to take a photo. Eventually, she calmed down and moved a bit further into the field.

I was able to snap a few photos of them. After maybe ten minutes, she took a hard look toward the woods to my right. That is a sure sign something caught her attention. Several more deer were moving toward the field. My position was not good as they would come very close to me and the breeze would drift my scent directly into them. It was a worse case scenario for they did, and it did. One of the older does stepped out of the woods almost next to me, maybe five yards away. The human scent even with no breeze emits an aura that radiates out in a cone shape gradually dissipating with distance. That older doe picked up my scent and stopped instantly looking in my direction. I froze. In a few seconds, she turned and ran back into the woods followed by the others. The first two stayed in the field but were alerted.

I figured my shoot was over, but decided to stay until sundown to see if they might come back. As the sun inched toward the tree lined horizon, I heard movement behind me along with a snort or two. I simply waited. Another snort, then silence. The sun was very low by now but still a ways from setting. Then I saw movement to my left. They had indeed returned about 40 yards away. I watched them move into the field, snapped a few photos. The light was pretty good, but not great as my angle was off. 

They kept looking in my direction sensing something wasn't quite right. As they moved across the field in front of me maybe fifty yards out they sort of split up. There were five of them with the last one being a young fork horn buck I had seen before. Two moved off the left, two scurried across the field and the little buck drifted closer to the treeline to my right. He was bathed in beautiful soft warm light. 

Usually I just start shooting and forget to think about the exposure. On this occasion, I thought first, and purposely underexposed the image to generate a more dramatic look to the image, allowing the soft highlights to dominate the exposure. He stopped, turned his head to look behind him and I snapped two images...one of them...the image we are reviewing.

I managed a few more photos. What I hoped for did not materialize, but I did manage to capture a few nice backlit shots. When you plan your shoot you must learn to adapt to changing situations...then capture what nature gives you. 

Eventually, all the deer moved off and I was able to breath again. 

Every photo has a story tied to it. This one evolved into a memorable photo moment...a good moment to start a new year and new season of photography. Hope to see you out there Beyond the Campfire.

Reflections: On New Fallen Snow

Standing near the end of the patch of woods overlooking the corn stubble field behind our home, I paused for a few moments and just listened. All was quiet until I listened more closely. The slight winter breeze made the falling snow whisper against my exposed face and brush against the nylon fabric of the green anorak I was wearing. As the flakes touched the fabric they skidded off with a slight wisp creating a kind of soft click as they fell. Behind me a gentle hushing joined the chorus of winter sounds as some snow fell from the branches of a cedar tree. With camera in hand, I snapped a few photos.

To my left a group of assorted birds flittered between the ground cover stopping long enough to pluck a seed from the tall grasses. The air was cold but not so nearly cold as the previous few days when a frigid winter storm blasted through the countryside depositing a frozen layer of snow across the land. Lots of folks complained. Personally, I loved it as it provided something somewhat rare in these parts; a White Christmas. 

I continued to work my way around the point and followed a fence row to the edge of another wooded area. Inside the fence several goats grazed on the giant roll of hay, stopping only briefly to look over in my direction as I passed by. The snow seemed to not bother them, nor the rooster as he strutted around.

Along the edge of the woods I continued to walk. With each step the snow crunched under foot and gathered across the tops of my boots. Turning the corner I cover the few dozen or so yards more to the pond, its surface frozen now and covered in a layer of fresh snow. Deer tracks crisscrossed the area but were beginning to lose their sharpness as the new snow filled in their outlines. 

Within a few moments the snow started falling with a lot more vigor and again I stopped, loosening my jacket to vent some of the heat I generated during the hike. That hush across the woods seemed broken by the whispering snow as it floated and curved through the trees and across the fields and slid off my jacket. The treeline maybe a hundred yards away looked diffused and gray through the falling snow. 

Working my way around the pond, more tracks appeared, squirrel I think, and then some rabbit tracks as well. Another set of tracks cut across the field and disappeared. Pretty sure they belonged to a coyote. Eventually, I worked my way back to the end of that first set of woods. A good hour or more had slipped by during my hike, and the snow continued to fall. I worked through the woods following the trail we cut through it the previous fall, which made for easier access. As I entered the backend of my yard, I noticed once again how the old swing, campfire, and firewood stacked in one corner looked like something out of a rustic Americana painting. As I neared home, dozens of birds, Cardinals, Titmice, Juncos, Blue Jays, and various sparrow-like birds, were swarming around the feeders. They seemed almost tame as they barely broke away as I approached, but they offered several good photo-ops.

Inside, the fireplace was burning casting a warming glow into the room. and I sat down to off load some photos and to write this reflection. The Christmas season is now behind us with the New Year approaching. The past year was a good year over all, and the new year looks promising in spite of all the nonsensical stuff being pushed out in the world. I feel blessed beyond all measure and peace of mind is worth a great deal. 

A simple walk through the woods during a snowfall opens the heart to hearing the true message of the Christmas season; Peace on Earth and Goodwill toward Men. It's the kind of message we too often say without really pausing long enough to reflect upon what it really means...that a little child 2000 years ago came into this world to bring peace and joy to all the world. And through that child all the transgressions of mankind were placed so we could find forgiveness and a life everlasting. The light of that child was a brilliant, radiant white, not unlike New Fallen Snow, but even more pure. 

Photographing Sandhill Cranes: The Challenges and Rewards - Part 2

 The alarm set for 2:00 AM went off right on que and by 2:30 or so, I was on the road heading up to Seymour, Indiana, about a 2 1/2 to 3 hour drive. Over the past 10 years or so, I had made a good number of trips up there during the winter months and had always found good numbers of Sandhill Cranes in the Ewing area upwards to 30,000 or more of them. I had similar visions as the road miles rolled under my Jeep. What transpired completely caught me off guard.

My intent was to hopefully capture one of those early morning rises of Sandhills coming off their roost. A couple years previous I had stumbled into such a rising and caught it on video which was made rather spur of the moment so suffered somewhat in quality.

I arrived well ahead of first light and got my camera gear ready for the anticipated moment. This location had always produced amazing numbers of Sandhills and was a logical choice to set up. The horizon grew brighter...and brighter...and my anticipation grew accordingly. By the time of full sunup, which was mostly hidden behind early morning clouds, I felt a deep disappointment for there were absolutely no Sandhills to be seen. Zero, zilch, nothing.

I was utterly amazed at the situation. Reports I read and social media reports indicated the Sandhills were there in abundant numbers. But there were none. I waited around for a time hoping a few might meander through, but it was absolutely devoid of these amazing birds. What to do?

Clearly my plans had been weighlaid, and I had no clue as to where I could find some of the birds, having always found them in this one area. There were none even flying off in the distance so I began driving around and saw nothing at first. As I was heading back toward Seymour I noticed a good number of Sandhills flying way off, so I turned down a side road and followed my instincts, turning here and there down this road and then another, getting completely turned around. But, I did find a location where there were several thousand Sandhills feeding in the surrounding corn and soybean fields. A few here, some there, to eventually finding a corner field a good number of them were using. So it was here my shoot finally began.

It was not a good location for shooting as the corner of the field was bracketed by a busy intersection where a lot of traffic crisscrossed. Trucks, cars, SUV's, and other types interfered with my attempts at videoing these amazing birds. 

Eventually, in frustration, I drove a ways down the road to another place where I still had sight of the birds, but the traffic was less congested.

While there two different fellows stopped by for a chat. One of them was a farmer who owned the field spread out in front of us where the Sandhills were now congregating. He indicated that up until the day before there had been huge numbers of them in the area, but many of them had left and speculated they were sensing the coming storm and frigid weather due to arrive in a few days. 

Adapting to the situation is often the plight of the wildlife photographer. On this day, I had made plans based on previous experiences in that area. As it turned out, the Sandhills made other plans. But, I was able to gather some good footage and a few photographs by adjusting to the situation. I spent most of the rest of the day there, but the Sandhills in small groups would get up and fly off and through slow attrition, by close to sundown, there were very few birds left.

 I was hoping for at least a few of them to fly into the setting sun, but they were intent on going someplace else. The ancient migration of Sandhills is a natural phenomena worth following and photographing. As with all wildlife, they have their own agenda and sometimes they do not cooperate.  Learning to adapt to their whims can help you avoid a busted outing. 

They present challenges that often are difficult to overcome, but the rewards for persevering through the difficult attempts far outweigh the challenges. On this trip, I learned a valuable lesson about not counting on wildlife to do what you expect them to do, but to adjust your plans to what they actually will do. Turned out to be a good day and well worth the challenges they presented.