Teen red foxes
Jun, 2013Views
1659
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Awards
Top Choice
Superb Composition
Outstanding Creativity
Absolute Masterpiece
Superior Skill
Jaw Dropping
Magnificent Capture
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Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken in the ditch alongside a rural highway in Manitoba.Time
In the evening.Lighting
Fox kits have the most annoying habit of only popping out to play when the lighting is poor. The last hours of the evening, early morning, or cloudy dreary days! Thankfully using the cloud setting on white balance really works well with this subject as it brings out all the warm tones of their fur and surroundings.Equipment
This was taken with my Pentax K-x, Pentax 55-300mm lens and using my Manfrotto tripod.Inspiration
I have fallen in love with the antics of the fox kits. Once you find a den and visit it several times they start to feel like your own! The challenge of trying to capture their personalities while being close enough for the perfect shot takes a lot of patience but it's worth it I think.Editing
Photoshop but just to tweek contrast and sharpen a bit. Had to boost colour a bit to get it to what it actually was when I shot the photo.In my camera bag
My camera and 2 basic lenses. Plus my ipod and a portable speaker in case I want to get some birds to come a little closer than they would normally be wont to do. Water bottle for the long treks and lots of lens wipes and an extra battery.Feedback
Keep a sharp eye out when driving in the spring for dens. Don't tell anyone about the den unless you know for sure they won't disturb it or harm the foxes. Someone shot and killed one of the kits in a den I was photographing this past spring. Unfortunately that den was in a very visible spot and impossible to keep secret. Have patience. It sometimes takes hours before the kits come out to play. Once I find an active den I take a blanket and set up about 10 feet away and just wait. I don't hide my presence as I want the kits to stay wary but I let them get used to me and then shoot away. If mom gets upset with me (and her vocalizations are very obvious when she is not happy!) I pull back to a distance that she approves of even if it means I lose some quality. A zoom lens and tripod are essential for me personally.
