Message from NANPA. Your photo entitled “Skimmer moving sand to create scrape for eggs” has been selected for NANPA’s Daily Sampler for Sunday, Apr 26, 2015. Each day NANPA posts different images from its members. Mine show up periodically. Nice to see what members are doing. See the link
Black Skimmer
Each month I and other photographers post info and images on our photo workshops and classes in the “Upcoming Classes, Tours & Workshops” section of the Outdoor Photographer Magazine website www.outdoorphotographer.com
This month you will find info on my Tangier Island, VA workshop, 29-31 May 2015. Located in the middle of the Chesapeake Bay, the island is perfect for photographing community life, waterman at work, crab shacks, peers and waterways, and the wildlife that lives in the marshes and along the shoreline.
It is a terrific location to see and photograph ospreys. There are many platforms near Tangier Island in the waterways and on nearby islands and jetties where the birds nest. Part of the credit for the success of the ospreys in this portion of the bay goes to the mayor of Tangier Island, James “Ooker” Eskridge who loves watching the birds soaring overhead as works and helps maintain the nesting platforms.More images of Tangier Island and ospreys on my web gallery https://www.ospreyphoto.com
Hunting vs. Wildlife Photography
Young javelina attracted by corn under log. Shot from blind.
Similarities
Both disciplines require knowledge of subject, i.e. where and when to find the animal. What does their behavior indicate? The hunter and photographer can both gain useful knowledge from signs that an animal is present – tracks, scat (cat, bear, etc.), rubs, scrapes (deer), slides (otter), broken branches and claw marks on tree (bear), freshly gnawed logs near a beaver lodge or dam (active beaver), paths through vegetation, etc.
Game calls Found at hunting stores – Bass Pro, Dicks’s, and Cabelas.
At times hunters attract animals using decoys, game calls (predator, courtship, challenge}, camo clothing or netting for concealment, cover scents (fox urine, skunk), baiting, stalking, or blinds/hides So can the photographer. (see later blog).
Ghille suit used to hide from wildlife. Option to a blind.
Shot during a workshop in SD. The workshop group tracked a herd of pronghorn. Eventually the male left herd and approached us . It stop, stared and slowly turned around and walk away with his females. Guess we were to ugly for his herd.
Differences between hunting and photography (besides the obvious that the animal can walk away).
Hunting depends on concealment & you can successfully bag your prey at 100 to 200 yards. On the other hand, photography depends more on acceptance and the shooting distance is much closer (mallard, ¾ frame, @ 30 feet w/600 mm lens.) Much of the time photographers cannot approach the animal close enough to be able to photograph it successfully without being seen. Therefore stealth is critical and the ability to carefully approaching the subject in a non-threatening way (see later blog on stalking techniques). Approaching from the water can make the task easier whether you are wading in the surf or photographing from a canoe or kayak. It appears that without your legs showing you are not perceived as a threat. The animal’s curiosity also acts in your favor. These factors do not mean that blinds and camo cover should not be used when required.
Painted bunting. Because of the bird’s small size, used a 600 mm lens with 1..4 tele-converter for this shot. Was at my closest focusing distance, less than 15 feet away.
Waded into the icy waters of Iceland for this shot. Curiosity drew him closer to me.
Stallking & the use of blinds – see upcoming blogs.
CAMERA CLUBS & OTHER SOURCES OF INFO
Your fellow camera club members can be helpful pointing out local hotspots for wildlife photography. At one such club meeting in Manassas where I was delivering a lecture, I learned that elk herds exist in Pennsylvania, near Benesette http://elkcountryvisitorcenter.com/drupal/ . They are typically found where there is fresh browse. In the fall, the males bugled just like courtship in Yellowstone. Magazines such as Outdoor Photographer www.outdoorphotographer.com can be a great resource describing favorite locations for photography. Robert Hitchman has a newsletter “Photograph America” with detailed info on trails and photo perspectives for all types of photography. It’s a great resource if planning a trip. www.photographamerica.com Well worth the price.
WATER
Animals require 3 key things for survival, food, water and shelter. Therefore areas that provide these elements attract wildlife add offer photo opportunities. They are also good locations to place photo blinds (later discussion). For example, a pond or spring in an arid area can draw wildlife from great distances. On a ranch in south Texas I placed blinds (hides) near ponds that contained water during the hotter months of the year. At the end of the summer at Chincoteague NWR, water evaporates from the impoundments and waterways. Fish become trapped in the shallows where water remains and attract large numbers of hungry herons, raccoons, and other wildlife. Similarly, during the dry season in the wetlands of Brazil(the Pantanal) http://www.pantanal.org/Mainpant.htm, completion for food becomes fierce and animals become more visible as the water disappears.
Coatimundi drinking at pond in Mexico.
Roadrunner drinking at small pool of water during drought in South Texas.
Deer drinking in one of the few ponds with water on a ranch in south Texas.
Bufflehead in channel at Chincoteague, VA
FOOD
A reliable source of food will attract wildlife. Ripening seeds, acorns, crab apples, and fruit will attract monkeys, bears, and squirrels, as well as songbirds and other bird life. The upwelling of nutrients and food caused by strong currents such as those off the southern tip of South America attract marine life and provide food for whales, seals, sea lions, and penguins as seen in the Falkland Islands. The protected waters around Peninsula Valdes in Argentina offer shelter to elephant seals, southern sea lions, penguins, and calving southern right whales and attract photographers from around the world. But you don’t have to go to exotic places to attract and photograph wildlife. In your own backyard you can put out feeders with seed or suet, add a source of water and include an interesting perch nearby so you can capture images in what appears to be a natural setting.
Squirrel storing nut for the winter.
Chickadee feeding on berries.
Giant River Otter eating fish in the Pantanal.
Great Blue Heron with fish.
Rose-breasted Grosbeak at bird feeder.
FAVORITE PERCHES
Birds such as kingfishers, cormorants, and kiskadees often dive for fish from the same perch and return there to consume their fish offering excellent opportunities for photographs. Turkeys, vultures, snail kites, and other birds often roost in the same location each night. These are perfect places to stake out with your camera.
Kiskadee fishing from favorite branch.
Thick-billed tern perched on pole preening and fishing.
Belted Kingfisher fishing from its favorite perch.
DUSTING AREA & MINERAL LICKS
Mineral licks are also great places to photograph wildlife. At Custer State Park, SD http://gfp.sd.gov/state-parks/directory/custer/ buffalo, mule deer, and pronghorn frequent these bare patches of ground rich in minerals and nutrients. These spots are easy to recognize by the reddish color of the dirt. Other locations where animals return repeatedly are dusting areas, sections of bare ground and loose dirt where “wild burros”, buffalo, guanaco, horses, road runners and other animals kick up and roll in the dust to rid themselves of pests.
Burro dusting in Custer State Park, SD
Elephant seal throwing sand perhaps to cool off.
ICE, ROCKS & ISLANDS
If on a boat in Alaska, ice flows area good areas to look for seals. Round Island is prefect if interested in photographing walrus.
Walrus warming in the sun on Round Island.
LOCATIONS (PART 4)
Several of the best locations to photograph wildlife are ones where the animals are acclimated to the presence of people or vehicles. These include county, state, and national parks, wildlife refuges & sanctuaries, and eco-friendly ranches (South Texas & South America). In terms of wildlife refuges, I tend to favor those with roads that run along the dikes that separate the impoundments. Parallel to the roads are ditches that typically hold water even when the other ponds are dry and therefore attract wading birds and other wildlife. If these channels are close to the road and vegetation does not block the view, photos of the animals can be taken easily from the car. The vehicle serves as a mobile blind that allows you to move along with the subject and adjust your angle of view and distance. To photograph out the car window, I place the telephoto lens on one or two large home-made bean bags filled with rice which I place on the window sill. You can also purchase bags from Lens Coat http://www.lenscoat.com , Birds as Art https://store.birdsasart.com or other suppliers. Two of my favorite wildlife refuges that are perfect for this style of shooting are Chincoteague NWR and Bosque del Apache NWR. http://www.fws.gov/refuge/chincoteague/ & http://www.fws.gov/refuge/bosque_del_apache/
PHOTOGRAPHY FROM A VEHICLE
Snow goose, shot from the car on the Loop Rd. @ Chincoteague. NWR, VA
Mallard family in a row. Shot from the car in Chincoteague NWR, VA.
Northern Harrier consuming a duck. Shot from rental car in Bosque del Apache, NM.
PRIVATE RANCHES
Eco-friendly ranches that protect native species and habitat such as those in South Texas, Argentina and Brazil often cater to photographers. These offer excellent opportunities to photograph from vehicles, blinds, or even on foot. (Discussion of blinds in later blog)
Rosette Spoonbill feeding in pond on private ranch in Texas. Photographed from a blind.
Caiman resting on bank at private ranch in Argentina.
Photographed late in the afternoon on Sea Lion Island in the Falkland Islands
HIKING
Photographing while randomly hiking in your local woods often fails to provide satisfactory result. The animals flee before you are within shooting distance. However if the habitat attracts wildlife and the animals are protected, they sometimes become acclimated to seeing people on foot . Corkscrew Swamp http://corkscrew.audubon.org and Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve in South Florida with their boardwalks are often worth a visit as well as Loxahatchee NWR. Hiking in other locations such as Yellowstone NP, Glacier NP, and the Badlands of South Dakota can also be productive particularly if your subject is initially spotted from the road. (See stalking techniques in later blogs).
Great Blue Heron shot while I was walking along a ditch filled with water in Chincoteague NWR, VA
Raccoon photographed while walking along one of the ditches at Chincoteague, VA.
Capuchin Money. Photographed while hiking along trails on hotel property near Bonito Brazil. Semi tame since food is readily available there.
DANGER
When hiking in remote areas, care must be taken not to surprise a grazing buffalo, bear, moose and other large mammals. Even though they may be in national parks or reserves they are still wild and potentially dangerous particularly if their young are present or if it is mating season. When photographing such animals, use long lenses to keep a safe distance from them and to isolate the subject. Approach slowing and always leave them a means of escape. (See safety discussion in a later blog)
White-tailed Deer buck photographed at Canaan Valley, WV many years ago while meandering throughout the meadows in search of deer to photograph.
I was photographing a scene away from the car when I spotted this sow and cubs. I stopped and grabbed a quick shot. She bluffed charged me and I carefully retreated to my car a little distance away. The rest of my shooting was done with my 600 mm from inside the car. A black bear with cubs can be very dangerous.
While hiking I spotted two rams. I took my initial photos from a distance. When they resumed their original behavior eating vegetation and slowly moving through the field, I moved a bit closer to them making sure not to pressure the animals or block its means of escape. I spent nearly an hour following and photographing their activities. At times they eveny closed the distance between u without alarm.
More blogs coming covering other topics relative to wildlife photgraphy. Importance of food, water, and shelter plus timing next.