Looking For Everyday Natural Compositions - Keep it Simple

 Mid-October and nature is shifting toward cooler fall-like temperatures, brisky breezes that sing their songs through the tops of the trees, and nature is beginning to awaken from its summer doldrums. Transitional moments in nature are some of the most exciting times for a photographer. Contrasts are deeper and wildlife begins to stir more deeply as they prepare for the onset of winter. Capturing these moments can be somewhat of challenge, but just being out in nature during this time of year stirs the imagination and creative instincts. One of the techniques I try to employ during this time is to look for the simple, everyday compositions. 

In recent days I have spent a good part of the time hiking around the cornfields behind my house looking for easy compositions. In doing so, I've run across a few of the deer that inhabits this area. The corn harvest has yet to be completed across these fields, so photographing the deer remains somewhat more complex in that they tend to roam around the fringes often obscured by the tall stalks across the cornfield. Often they just remain inside the wooded area venturing out late in the day to feed. Photographing them inside a wooded area is not easy simply because of all the clutter in there. 

Making sense of the compositions required to capture a compelling deer photograph is more dependant on the deer than anything; they tend to always show up from the wrong direction and stay hidden. Just yesterday I was sitting inside this patch of woods along the edge of a wide road-like path that circles around the perimeter. The wind was in my face and I just knew the deer would come from one particular direction and across a clear area like they had done before. Well, one did show up, but it came from behind me, downwind, and as I suspected, she caught my scent and that's all she wrote...off she went.

Even though I was unable to capture any photos of the deer, I began to see simple woodland-style compositions all around me. 

The darkened nature of the woodlands provided a wonderful backdrop for things like a single branch with a cluster of leaves on the end, or  a fat squirrel scampering about that peeked around the side of a tree, or a vine with a single leaf still attached near the end of an extension.

Using a long lens served to isolate those moments into simple everyday natural compositions. Even when the wildlife does cooperate, capturing them in a compelling, yet simple way can be a challenge. I will look for natural behavior moments with natural framing surrounding the animal. A year or so ago, a small family group of doe meandered into the corn stubble field with a few of them remaining just inside the woods.

A single deer stepped into a small opening near the edge and when she did, she caught sight of my movement and locked onto my location. She was framed by a series of tree limbs with her being highlighted against the dark background inside the wooded area. The finished photo became a very compelling, and storytelling image with her staring in my direction with one leg raise. The composition is simple, yet retained an element of natural complexity to it.

Wildlife photography is perhaps one of the most difficult styles of photography and requires patience, a good working knowledge of the wildlife's natural tendencies, and a good measure of luck. Most of the nature magazines and/or books thrive on the close-up image of some animal showing all the details in exceptional sharpness. Those work well for things like insects, birds, flowers, and so on. I do have a few of those, but, when it comes to wildlife in general, I have captured far more long range images...images that I classify as Environmental Wildlife Portraits, any other kind of images. 

To me, these kinds of images do far more to capture the natural behavior of wildlife than the close-up and my preference is to look for those kinds of opportunities. They also lend themselves well to the simple natural composition.

I am constantly in search of the simple compositions where my subject is isolated against the background, or captured deep within and engulfed by their natural surroundings. Everyday natural compositions serves the photographer well as there are far more of them available than the spectacular natural ones. One could even say, because their simplicity, they retain a spectacular element far deeper than what might first be apparent. 

A Hint of Fall - Sitting in the Woods Scouting for Deer Photo Ops

 Summer tried its best to linger well into October, however, the Fall season is in the air with cooler temps, a brisky breeze, a hint of color, and the Whitetail Deer Bucks are showing signs of entering the rut. 

Yesterday and again this afternoon, I took a photo walk out back of my house and ran across several signs the deer population in the area are in fact nearing the rutting season. Found a good number of fresh rubs, where the bucks rub their antlers on saplings to mark their territory and leave calling signs for any available doe. I also discovered a couple of scrapes, that's where a buck will paw the ground and urinate in the dirt, again to leave their calling signs. Lots of turkey feathers littered the edges of the woodlands. 

This afternoon I hiked over to the pond and into the woods beyond it and discovered several large rubs, most of them found within a circular area of somewhat open woods. Big and small bucks will make small to medium sized rubs, but only big bucks make big rubs, and these I found today are big.

As a result I went back later in the afternoon a couple hours before sundown just to see if I might get lucky and catch one of those big bruisers visiting his rub line. Did not run into any bucks (they are probably making their rounds at night with the bright moonlight), but did encounter several doe who played a cat and mouse game with me. Seems they knew I was in there, snorting several times, but just could not find me.  They moved back and forth about 40 or 50 yards away along the inside edge of the woods. I could see them, and hear them, but the picture taking was difficult because of the thick cover.

 Even so, it was a lot of fun to once again get out like that and mingle with the local wildlife. Along with the deer, I saw several fat squirrels, two different flocks of turkeys, and assorted other birds. 

Right now there is still standing corn in the field which makes it more difficult to photograph the deer when they might otherwise meander across the open areas. Probably within a week or so, the owner will harvest the corn which will offer a more open field of view and as the season progresses, the deer will more and more utilize the spilled corn from that harvest.

On my way back from my first outing of the day, I noticed several blue birds sitting on a fence post. This one was highlighted by a beam of sunlight against a shaded background. It made for an interesting composition as did an old piece of farm machinery sitting beside the still standing corn field. Against the brilliant blue October sky, it made for a rustic and scenic composition.

There were two separate flocks of turkeys on this day. The first one, maybe a dozen birds, eventually meandered across the corn field and into the woods on the north side of the field. Later, as I hiked back home, I ran a cross another flock of maybe 6 or 8 birds on the south side of the field.

Overall it was a good day afield and I look forward to more outings like this one as the fall season progresses. 

Overnight Canoe Camp - Best Ever Fishing Day!

 Managed to finally load up my canoe again for another overnighter canoe camping/fishing trip on Kentucky's Barren River Lake. Even though I often find myself returning to the same location(s), every trip is unique and each one possesses a different flavor. This trip was no exception. Early fall is one of the best times to get out and October possibly the best overall month for the weather tends to be in transition with warm days and crisp and cool nights. 

Packed along some good food on this one again feasting on a wonderful Ribeye steak cooked in a cast iron skillet and cooked over a campfire. Man-o-man...mighty tasty and satisfying. Breakfast the next morning consisted of crispy bacon along with scrambled eggs again cooked over a campfire.

The first day was simply a paddling day...about 4 miles was all...but done in a leisurely style just enjoying the blue skies. Camp was set up tucked away on the edge of an isolated point of land where a simple and rustic gravel beach offered a nice respite from life challenges. Slept under a tarp with a great view of the lake.

Day two started out in an unhurried manner fixing breakfast, clean up, packup, load the canoe, and a mid-morning shove off. About half way back, I started casting my fishing line next to a long and rocky bluff that dropped off into deep water. A few casts later and the first fish of the day grabbed hold of the lure. He turned out to be a nice 2 1/2 lb black bass with a bigger fight than his size would indicate. A few casts later and bass number 2 was on. He turned out to be about a 3 lb bass. Over the next half hour or so, I caught several more fish before moving on .

A half mile or so later I started casting another line along a similar bluff. After a few casts and another bass was hooked. He was another 3 pounder or so and had a lot of heart. One cast later, and another bass was on that was about 3 1/2 lbs or so. (just a fisherman's estimate on the sizes). What a morning fishing! Ended up catching 10 fish over all including 4 nice bluegill, and several bass.

Turned out to be a great overnight trip....please enjoy the video!