Timeless Bison
Where The Bison Roam. I've long waited to capture a Bison photo that spoke to me in a powerful way and embodied the spirit of the animal and poetically pl...
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Where The Bison Roam. I've long waited to capture a Bison photo that spoke to me in a powerful way and embodied the spirit of the animal and poetically played homage to Western heritage. I It's hard to think of any mammal that is more symbolic to our country. At the time of our country being founded, estimates were upwards of 30 million Bison roaming our lands. Unmitigated hunting and disease dropped these numbers drastically and today numbers hover around 500,000.
I've spent countless hours observing them at all times of day and trying to get the shot I wanted. I've gotten some great shots, but I still never felt they were exactly what I was looking for. Yesterday, I finally got that photo. The one that gave me the chills. The one that spoke to me viscerally and felt timeless. It's satisfying. It's in large part why I do photography. Not for popularity but as an art...as a way of expression and cataloging and being inspired by our world. It motivates me to chase that next great poetic moment of these beautiful animals.
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I've spent countless hours observing them at all times of day and trying to get the shot I wanted. I've gotten some great shots, but I still never felt they were exactly what I was looking for. Yesterday, I finally got that photo. The one that gave me the chills. The one that spoke to me viscerally and felt timeless. It's satisfying. It's in large part why I do photography. Not for popularity but as an art...as a way of expression and cataloging and being inspired by our world. It motivates me to chase that next great poetic moment of these beautiful animals.
Read less
NIKON D850
Aperture f/5 ISO 200 Shutter 1/2500 Focal Length 1500/10 
Commerce City, Colorado, US
Mar, 2019Views
2469
Likes
Awards
Action Award
Top Shot Award 22
Contest Finalist in Animal Kingdom Photo Contest vol2
Legendary Award
Judge Favorite
9Teen Award
Contest Finalist in Anything Animals Photo Contest
Celebrity Award
Contest Finalist in Winter Wildlife Photo Contest
Curator's Choice
Peer Award
Absolute Masterpiece
Superb Composition
Top Choice
Outstanding Creativity
Magnificent Capture
Superior Skill
Virtuoso
All Star
Emotions
Impressed
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Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken at Rocky Mountain Wildlife Arsenal Refuge in Commerce City, Colorado.Time
It was taken at sunrise on a winter's day. I headed out around 4 am towards the mountains to capture some sunrise photos; however, it was incredibly foggy and the visibility was very low. About 20 minutes from my house, I made the impulsive decision to switch plans and drive over to the Arsenal which is about 40 minutes away. I figured since the visibility was so low that I'd try and just enjoy being out so early and going to one of my common stomping grounds observing and appreciating the animals. Fortunately, all the stars aligned when I was there. The bison herd was quite close and the fog dissipated into creating quite beautiful orange tones as the sun crested the eastern horizon. I sat patiently and very quietly with my telephoto lens at the ready. This is one of the moments I was able to capture. A photo that finally captures these symbolic animals of the west in their turf. A photo for me that represented this passage I wrote: Harkening to the days When the bison roamed freely. 60 million strong. Stoically yet powerfully plodding across the land. A symbol of strength and survival. The spirit of the great plains.Lighting
Of course shooting directly into the sun, I underexposed slightly but fortunately with the foggy and cold morning it gave the sun a bit of a soft haze that worked perfectly as a backdrop for capturing the herd.Equipment
Nikon D850 with Tamron SP 150-600mm G2 lens.Inspiration
Bison are emblematic of the western spirit. I love their stoic yet powerful demeanor. They offer up a sense of nostalgia for the wild west and open plains. I had written a short little poem that I wanted to try and try and capture visually. It reads: Harkening to the days When the bison roamed freely. 60 million strong. Stoically yet powerfully plodding across the land. A symbol of strength and survival. The spirit of the great plains.Editing
Yes, I slightly lifted the shadows and added a little bit of sharpening to bring out the textures in the bison.In my camera bag
I usually carry a Nikon D850 and D750 along with a few sets of lenses.Feedback
Get out there! Have patience. I visit this refuge all the time. There are countless times where the elements just didn't line up for the right photo. Fortunately with persistence and a keen sense of understanding about the herd and area here I was able to be in the right place at the right time.
