The Joys of Wildlife Photography

A lot of wildlife photographs are taken from hides that enable you to watch without being seen. The problem here is that I am not very good with hides, I am happier wandering and finding my subjects rather than waiting for them to walk passed my camera.

Finding the animals can be difficult but it really does add to the fun, then once you are within range you really are in the lap of the gods. On the most part you have very little control of which direction they come from, where they go, whether they stay in the shade or the Sun and of course how long they stay with you.

Last night I had the pleasure of being entertained by a young female Fox with the most amazing eyes, who I had met before, and five of the most annoyingly mobile cubs.

The Sun was rapidly setting and had already left the woods in a gloom that made photographing unpredictable little bundles of fur difficult. So because the photographs that I took were not quite what I was after, I thought I would share some of the ‘cutting room’ shots that always fill the camera after an encounter like this. Now all photos tell a story whether they are ‘perfect’ or not and these serve as a reminder that sometimes you need to admit defeat, put the camera down and just enjoy the chaos.

The out of focus shots, the dark shots, the shots with an annoying piece of grass in front the creature, the frustration and the fact that you will never truly replicate the sheer wonder of the event no matter how many photographs you may take: these are the joys of wildlife photography and it is completely addictive.

I was in completely the wrong place for this one, the Sun was almost behind the Fox

Grass can be annoying

I rushed this in low light

And this one

The Sun had well and trully set by this time

Recognition

There can be no doubt that if you spend enough time with a wild animal a relationship, of sorts, can build up and the animal will recognise you. I get this sometimes with the deer and the Foxes that I spend time with summer, if I’m lucky. After a winter of no contact though memories fade and so do the chances of a reunion with an old friend. So it is strange that when I return to a favourite place in the hope of finding my Foxes, I feel a real sadness that I can’t resume our friendship where we left off the previous year.

This all sounds pretty stupid but I know what I mean!

Anyway, the other evening I was walking along a very familiar path thinking just these thoughts when a Fox appeared from the long grass. I stopped of course and raised the camera. The Fox looked at me but didn’t seem phased, she continued on her way until she looked at me again, then stopped sharply and sat down.

After a very short while, far too short really, she got up and walked back in to the shelter of the long grass, the moment was gone.

Now there is no way of knowing what was going through her mind but it would be nice to think that she remembered me, if only a little.

When the wildlife comes to you.

I am lucky where I live to have Foxes and Badgers regularly walk past the house or through the garden. I see these animals often but mainly at night, making photography difficult, so it is always a bonus when one of them makes a daylight appearance.
Foxes are a real favourite and, whether they in their own environment or the one we have stolen from them, I relish every encounter.