Until the Last Moment of Light: When Nature Says "Here I am..."

Difficult it is and sometimes downright hard it is to sit still inside a tight fitting, makeshift photo blind for several hours waiting for an opportunity to photograph a wild animal, Kentucky Whitetail Deer in particular. Your mind tends to drift, your back starts to ache, your rear-end starts to cramp, and those are the lesser of the uncomfortable symptoms. The question 'Will they even show up' crosses your mind a dozen then two dozen times. You hope they will. You've seen them in this field countless times. Their patterns vary on each visit, but, yeah, they'll most likely show up, eventually.

Problem is; I've already taken hundreds of ordinary images of them, only a few of which really separate themselves from the others. That is what I am seeking for this season-long project, and going forward; photographs that reside outside the routine. An image that captures not only the animal behavior, but one showing where it lives. Much of that depends on the deer of course. Sometimes they cooperate, most times they do not. Their senses often spoil your attempts. Even so, the challenge is what drives you, keeps you sitting there with a cramping back and stiff legs waiting for the moment to present itself. 

The afternoon drifts away toward evening and the angles of light begin to cast shadows through the tangle of woodlands that mark the perimeter of the recently harvested cornfield. The fall season colors are but a few days away from busting out. Already chilly, with some color growing across the landscape, you relish nature's transitional moments. Not quite there yet, but headed in that direction. It's easy to get distracted maybe even nod off as the warmth of Indian Summer surrounds you, but then your leg cramps and you gotta stretch it out. Not so easily done sitting inside a burlap and stick blind barely large enough to accommodate your frame, a tripod, and your camera. 

Even when hidden behind the camouflaged burlap, movements can still alert a whitetail. Their hearing and eyesight honed precisely into a keen sharpness by nature's way of survival. Even a slight shift of the gentle breeze will betray you...all of a sudden you hear it, that loud, sharp, snorting bleat of an alert doe whose nose told her an intruder is close by.  A few moments before and you felt like they would never show themselves. Now, they detected you before you even knew they were there.

You see it move to your right; not where you expected, angled away just enough so your camera cannot rotate that far without moving the entire contraption, and that would make a far to obvious commotion. So, you wait. You dare not move. She can't see you, so calms down and begins to move, head down occasionally checking the breeze for intruder scent. Suddenly, there are now three, then five. They move so silently in spite of the dry conditions.  Finally, you are able to fire off a few quick photos. They hear the soft wisk of the shutter and instantly look up all eyes locked onto where you are. They cannot possibly see you inside the blind, but they instinctively know something is not quite right. They grow agitated. Stomp the ground, snort twice, then a third time, and that subtle gentle breeze shifts ever so slightly again, they twitch, raise their tails, and bolt across the field. They run maybe two hundred yards before stopping, turn back to give you one more look of contempt before they calm down enough to begin feeding again.

By this time, the sun has settled to just above the horizon and a bit of a chill runs down the back of your exposed neck, but you don't really feel it, locked onto the moment. Maybe another five minutes of shooting light left, but the best light is now. The does are standing in the gray of cast shadows. Soft, golden, mid-October light floods the far treeline, the horizon gray shadow ever so steady, creeps across the field to the base of the woodlands.

More movement. Two, three more does emerge from the shadows across the field and meander toward the fading light. Another two minutes and the good light will end. One of them saunters to the edge of the shadowed area, hesitates, then moves across a last remnant beam of sunlight that sets her aglow as she stands beneath overhanging limbs. You focus the camera lens peering through isolated grasses in the field and lock onto her. One more step...Click.  A moment later, the light show comes to an end, and everything turns a blue gray. 

Several hours of waiting, anticipating, not knowing for sure if there would even be an opportunity to photograph these amazing creatures in their habitat. You never know for sure what will happen, how the light will interact with the deer, but, you hang on, and wait...wait...until the last moment of light...when Nature says "Here I am."

When Patience Pays Off: Photographing a Trophy Kentucky Deer

 Photographing wildlife can often be a most difficult objective for a photographer. Doing so successfully requires a persistent degree of patience. 

Kentucky whitetail deer are some of the most illusive and cunning of wildlife. With a keen sense of hearing, sharp as hawks eyesight, and an uncanny sense of smell, they are well equipped to detect intruders into their domain. One whiff of a human, and they are gone before you ever see them. A careless movement can catch their attention in a flash. One misstep, a crackle of dry leaves for example, can alert them to your presence. They rarely hesitate if any sign of danger is present and will bolt in a moment when their concern of safety overrides their better part of valor. So, getting into position to photograph truly wild whitetail deer is a daunting task even for a seasoned hunter...or photographer. Doing so for either requires a solid working knowledge of their habits and their habitat.

For many years I hunted those magnificent animals. Those years were some of the most rewarding and satisfying of adventures I've managed to pursue and they generated some of the most enduring memories. In more recent times, I've altered my approach and today I hunt mostly with the camera. But the skills gained as a hunter translate well into pursuing wildlife with a camera. In some ways, hunting with a camera is more difficult because to capture those truly amazing images, one must get reasonably close to your subject or recognize the beauty of an environmental portrait taken from some distance. Accomplishing either requires one to develop a keen sense of patience and the willingness to try again and again...and again. Doing so will over time result in success.

This past week saw the promise of a new season dawning upon the landscape, a season jump started by chilly temperatures and blustery winds. When the cornfields turn brown and the woodland trees begin to find their new adornment of color, the moment signals it's time to search for those amazing whitetail deer.  A few exploratory hikes around the cornfields and into the nearby woods revealed several scrapes and rubs...large rubs...in the area; a good indication the deer are approaching their rutting season, and at least one trophy sized deer was frequenting the area. I've seen several good ones the past few years, a few of which certainly must have matured into amazing adult animals. 

For several days I sat inside a patch of woods just behind a pond that anchors the upper end of one of the cornfields. Conditions were rough with stiff breezes whipping my scent all through the woods causing the doe deer to become quite jumpy. 

The first three afternoons I managed to see a few does, take a few so-so photos, but no bucks, but I did know they were around because of the abundance of sign scattered throughout the woods. 

The standing corn crop was finally harvested mid-week so I gave the deer a break for a day, but headed out the next afternoon. By this time, the movement habits of the deer using that patch of woods became more evident and I positioned myself in a location where I had a commanding view of a wide, mostly clear path that circumnavigated this few acres of woods. The wind was light and in my favor this time coming from the north east, just about perfect for this location. Fully camouflaged and with my 50-500mm lens attached to my camera secured to a tripod, I sat in a strategic spot demanding a good view of the open lane. I leaned up against a tree and made myself comfortable and waited.  Waiting is most difficult, and the anticipation associated with waiting can often be overwhelming. That is when other values come into play, when simply being in the woods is reward enough. Even so, your senses tune into every sound, every movement, even a single leaf floating down catches your eye. A distant squirrel shakes his tail and your eye instantly locks on. A woodpecker hammers an old dead but still standing tree. Sights. Sounds. Movements. All play out their roll across the woods.

Movement is what you look for, what you tune your eye to seek out. Even the faintest of motions causes your eyes to shift. Movement is also what you avoid doing for even the slightest of motions can catch the eye of a deer you may not know is there. I purposely turn my head with a slow arch, shifting my eyes, left and right, keep my hand movements to a minimum, and sit behind my tripod and camera which helps to break up my profile.

Not much happened for the first hour and half; a couple of squirrels, a few noisy birds, and not much else stirred. About 3:30 or so, I caught sight of some movement deep into the thick woods. Just a flash here and there, no details, could not make out what it was...then I saw the white flash from a deer's hind quarters as the deer passed across a narrow gap in the trees as the deer meandered through the woods. I suspected it would cross the cleared pathway in a few moments and indeed it did. When it first poked its head out from the tangled woodlands about forty yards from where I sat, my heart skipped a beat, or two, as this was no ordinary deer or one of the many does in the area. This guy was a trophy buck with a large set of antlers spreading high and wide. He was beautiful!

For the next five minutes I could not remember taking a breath. He moved so quickly, and stealthily, I failed to capture a photograph as he crossed the path. A few moments later, he reappeared and I managed a few quick shots before he again entered the thick woods. I could see him crossing through the clutter of trees then lost sight of him. A few moments later, there he was again reentering the open path and angled across again a bit further down. I managed a couple more rapid fire shots. The lighting was difficult as a bright sun cast hotspots all across the open pathway making the exposure setting difficult. Normally I shoot in manual mode and use auto focus, but the lighting was so contrasty it was difficult to obtain a good exposure. I quickly shifted into Aperture Priority, bumped my ISO up to 1600, and pushed the exposure compensation to a + 1/3 stop to allow for the dark areas without overexposing the brighter areas. I also switched to manual focus as there was just enough junk between me and the deer to confuse the autofocus. I had to work quickly relying on years of experience with that camera and lens to instinctively make the correct settings.

My trophy buck disappeared again, but within a few minutes reappeared, only this time he was moving toward me. Unknown to me at the moment, several does had also come on the scene and he locked on to them moving with a determined drive toward where they were, sniffing and licking the air. From this behavior, I'm sure he was close to being in full rut as were the does.

Over the next few minutes I watched as best as I could the seven or eight does meander through the woods and into the field followed closely by my trophy. Problem was, by then I was out of position and I had to shoot photos through the trees. 

After they meandered out into the field, I slowly stood and tried to move as quietly as I could to better position myself...then...buck number two showed up. At first I thought it was the same one, could have been, but i never saw him circle around and reenter the woods. This new buck's rack was also tall and wide, but consisted of thinner tines, and he was also thinner. The first buck's neck was already starting to swell because of the surge of testosterone starting to build within his system. This second deer was indeed thinner, but I was not able to obtain a good photo of him, just a single shot through a tangle of trees. He was also much more leary as he locked onto some of my movement and darted off, followed by several of the does.

I waited for a short time before deciding to backtrack and circle around the outer edge of the woods and exit the area hoping not to spook the deer. On my way out, I knew within my camera resided some good photos of a magnificent deer. Someday soon, I'd try again, but for now I'd give them time to re-settle down into their undisturbed routine.

Photographing a trophy whitetail deer requires patience, skill, and a good degree of luck. On this day, all three fell into place and I managed to witness one of nature's enduring sagas. Seeing a trophy buck in the wild is a rare event, and trophy bucks grow to that size for a reason; they are smart and stay out of trouble. Being there with a camera close enough to take his portrait is truly a magical time, a reward when patience paid off.

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!

To Be Alone - Quiet Times in the Woods or on the Water

 Recently, someone asked me, "What's your favorite thing to do?" The answer required about three or four seconds of thought; "To be alone in the Woods." In all honesty, being alone in nature (with my camera) is probably a more encompassing answer, for that is where I feel most at home and most intune with who I am as a person and a photographer.

Nature has always fascinated me. Growing up in southeastern Oklahoma as a young boy, I often found myself sitting outside in the shade of my grandparents big yard and dreaming about wild adventures. I read adventure stories, there were no DVD's or VHS videos back then, so reading was just about the only way a boy could build his imagination. One of my favorite publications was Boy's Life, the Boy Scouts magazine. It was always filled with true life adventures that came to life through the wonderful illustration that filled the pages. Oddly enough, I was never a real boy scout, I just sort of became one on my own, and I loved the BB Gun advertisements on the back of comic books. Oh my, how I wanted one of those Daisy pump BB guns. My parents never did get one for me, but I did eventually manage to own a trusty lever action Red Ryder...still have one. (Some of my fondest memories raising my two boys was when I taught them how to shoot it.)

I'd build miniature log forts and cabins using the numerous broken limbs and sticks that littered that dusty old yard. While doing so, my young mind would flow across time to imagine what it must have been like back in Daniel Boone's day. (Come Fourth of July, I'd blow them up with firecrackers.) But, the most adventurous moments of my youth came when I'd take off on my own, cross the railroad tracks behind the neighbors house, and head off through the woods and fields to eventually find the shallow running shoals where the  Poteau River split. In the imagination of a young boy, I was exploring the deepest of backcountry woods just like ole Daniel Boone did. In reality is wasn't very far. Even so, I'd sit alone for what seemed like hours, until I'd get hungry and make my way back to civilization. 

Those imaginings from way back then became ingrained into my heart and I still treasure those moments for without them, I'd not be even close to who I am today. Things have changed in a lot of ways since then, but in other ways they remain the same. That young boys adventurous spirit still lingers inside of my now older self, only now I am able to play them out for real, more or less, with my canoe, my backpack, my Jeep, and my camera. There are few outing I explore without my camera for with it, I can visually capture the essence of what it means to be alone in the quiet of the woods or canoeing across a lake with the sun setting across the way. Oddly enough, the mental images I made all those years ago are just as sharp, just as real, and just as rewarding as any photograph I've ever made...maybe even more so.

I need those simple quiet times in the woods to clear my head of all the nonsensical rhetoric that floods our world today. I often long to revisit those simpler days when I was a boy, but I understand...you can never go home again. Yet making time for a short hike and finding a quiet place to just sit awhile and listen to the wind talk to the trees or listen to moving waters as they dance across a set of shoals, or maybe watch as a swollen creek tumbles over a waterfall well, it's a good way to clear away the clutter from inside. Along the way, I'll take a photo or two just because I can. Maybe someday, someone will see one of those images and understand why the moment was important.

A Willingness to See Through the Clutter to Discover the Larger Scene

 Today the summer air temperature is hovering just below 100 degrees and the humidity not far behind. Tomorrow and the next day could easily surpass the 100 degree mark. It is August by the way, so days  like these in this part of the country do not come as much of a surprise. But, a week or so ago a hint of fall, the false fall, drifted across the landscape with cooler temperatures and pleasant days. I am so looking forward when the weather crosses a tipping point and the surge toward a new season is launched full swing. 

It's been a good summer overall. I've managed to get out a number of times with my canoe and camera and fishing rod, not nearly as much as I should have. Even so, those few outings offered a measure of relief from the daily routine. Today, avoiding the heat, I browsed through a few photos I made last winter. Sometimes doing something like that will reveal an image or two that simply jump out at me, and I ran across these two. I kept asking myself, "Why do I like these images?"

I've certainly captured better ones, but for some reason, I really like these two images. Let's take look at each one and try to dissect their qualities so I can answer that question.

Both images were taken out at one of my favorite places, Shanty Hollow Lake, on the same day a few minutes apart. On this particular day, and time of year, the lake level was much lower than normal which offered more area to explore. I stepped into the now dry lake bottom toward the upper end and walked across toward the other side. The fall leaves had dropped months before, but a few colorful ones still clung to their limbs. All the tall grasses lining the shoreline had turned brown. 

What caught my eye was the blown down river birch tree as it lay sideways across the brown grass. The tops of the grasses carried a distinctive silvery shine that slowly blended into the brown lower portions. Most the background trees provided another level of silvery contrasts and within that silvery veil I could see brilliant splashes of color. 

Part of being a good photographer is to be able to visually see a photograph before you lift the camera to your eye. Within a few steps, I was able to frame the image with my mind and simply make a few minor adjustments in composition and exposure. The detail of the woodlands behind the grass suddenly took on a fresh appearance no longer lost within the confused state of chaos that can so often ruin woodland images. There is just enough contrast here, just enough white bark, just enough splashes of color to transform a bleak winter day into a wonderful photo op.

This second image was taken from almost the same vantage point. All I did was turn to my left, walk a few yards drawing a bit closer to the water's edge. A similar kind of appeal presented itself where a stark, gray woodland revealed itself to contain wonderful contrasts of white bark, soft grassy tones, and splashes of color embedded deeper within the woods. Add into the compositional equation those soft reflections cast across the water and you a formula for a successful woodlands photo.

It is easy to overlook such simple opportunities. Finding them requires somewhat of a trained eye, but more importantly, the willingness to see beyond the ordinary and through all the clutter to focus in on the elements that define, within a smaller frame, the larger scene.