Resting in the Field
May, 2018Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
One of my favorite places to go with the camera is a place called Effie Yeaw Nature Center. It's a wonderful nature area that sits along the American River in the middle of the Sacramento, CA area. There are various walking trails throughout that have potential for amazing wildlife encounters, including Black-tailed Deer!Time
One April morning I set out to Effie Yeaw to catch the sunrise over the river and walk for a couple hours to see what wildlife I could photograph. As the morning went on I continued my walk while scanning the trees and the meadows for signs of critters. Laying there in one of the meadows were some deer. I was able to get a decent angle to capture these 2 and loved that they were almost mirror images at times so the shutter started clicking just before 9 a.m.Lighting
It's a good thing I love a challenge! Photographing wildlife in the wild has enough challenges on any given day and even places where the chances of finding some wildlife is good, there's still the challenge of lighting. In general I try not to use flashes on wildlife (especially in the wild). Natural lighting at Effie Yeaw can be very challenging as there's sunny open meadows and extremely shaded mini forests. Lighting changes quickly there between the different areas, moving sun, and moving subjects! I was very happy for the consistent diffused lighting in the area these two were relaxing!Equipment
When I set out for a photography trip in nature I like to be prepared for whatever opportunity arises. For days like this I will generally carry two cameras: Canon 5Dmii and my 7Dmii. For this morning I chose to have my Canon 24-105 on the 5Dmii for landscapes and my Canon 100-400mm mii on the 7Dmii for wildlife. I tend to leave the tripod and flashes at home for days like this as I need to be able to move fast at times and prefer using natural light instead of zapping unsuspecting animals with bright flashes.Inspiration
The inspiration for this shot, as well as the rest of my wildlife shots, is to capture moments and my experiences so I can share with others who may never get the chance to see life like this. I've always loved animals but so many photos of wildlife are similar. For example, when people go to photograph deer, the does or non-trophy bucks are often overlooked. I like to capture these different subjects and show a variety of what nature has to offer. While I do enjoy the thrill of capturing a big racked buck through the lens, I'm always happy and find a special calm inside when I can capture peaceful scenes like this.Editing
I try to minimize my post-processing and keep the photo as real and true to the scene as possible. This one actually had very little post done to it with only boosts to the exposure and contrast as overall I was happy with the gentle look that I achieved in camera to start with.In my camera bag
My main camera bag will always have my favorite go to set up: My trusty Canon 5Dmii with my Canon EF100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM. I will generally add in my secondary go to set up (and one I carry in a smaller bag during the week for commuting just in case) that consists of the Canon 7Dmii with the Canon EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM. Sometimes I swap the lenses or grab my favorite macro lens, a Canon 180mm L lens. Other things I always have with me are water, snacks, extra memory cards, and batteries.Feedback
Some things I would tell anyone trying to get wildlife photos is to be patient, be quiet, and go slow. How you act and move about will often reflect in the wildlife you encounter. Sometimes your arrival will startle the animals but if you stop and patiently wait, they may settle back down. Once they realize you're no threat then move slowly and quietly and you may be rewarded with peaceful special moments. I'd also suggest to always watch your back at the same time as well as watch your subjects for sudden changes in behavior. Where you find one wild animal, there's bound to be more and some aren't quite as harmless. Always be aware of your environment and take your time to look everywhere as well. Animals are masters at camoflage and it's easy to walk past a heard of deer laying in a field of tall grass or in the shadows of trees.
