- Location
- Milwaukee, WI USA
- Name
- Luke
I usually walk the dogs around 6 o'clock every night that I don't work. This coincides with when the deer start to stir and think about feeding...they are most active at dusk and dawn. So I've been bringing my camera along on the dog walks more religiously. Of course, it's just blind luck if I'll see one. And more luck if the dogs will keep from freaking out. And then even more luck if he can keep them still enough on leash and still be able to operate the camera controls while shooting something that is shy, twitchy and usually 20-70 yards away (in a dark woods).
Usually I hear some movement first that gives away their position. Tonight, I heard nothing. But as I scanned through the trees for something other than green, I spotted something.......
i could have easily missed it by Luke Lavin, on Flickr
She (or he) was pretty close.....maybe 20 yards away. But there was a fair amount of vegetation between us and I think she felt comfortable that she had an escape route behind her. I never approach wild animals. I just stood and watched and occasionally tried snapping a few shots. I had the camera set on Auto 800 ISO, but at f5.6 at 100mm they were all coming out blurry...some from me, some from her movement. I changed the setting to auto3200 and while I was looking down at the camera, she had moved away. And then I saw her....she was walking closer and out of the woods and crossing the paved path. I had an unobstructed view. The dogs must have been as in awe as I was.....they weren't making a peep. She was now probably 10 yards away....maybe less. Snap, snap, snap. Here's the best one I got. Then it was time to keep moving and let her be.
that awkward age by Luke Lavin, on Flickr
Usually I hear some movement first that gives away their position. Tonight, I heard nothing. But as I scanned through the trees for something other than green, I spotted something.......
She (or he) was pretty close.....maybe 20 yards away. But there was a fair amount of vegetation between us and I think she felt comfortable that she had an escape route behind her. I never approach wild animals. I just stood and watched and occasionally tried snapping a few shots. I had the camera set on Auto 800 ISO, but at f5.6 at 100mm they were all coming out blurry...some from me, some from her movement. I changed the setting to auto3200 and while I was looking down at the camera, she had moved away. And then I saw her....she was walking closer and out of the woods and crossing the paved path. I had an unobstructed view. The dogs must have been as in awe as I was.....they weren't making a peep. She was now probably 10 yards away....maybe less. Snap, snap, snap. Here's the best one I got. Then it was time to keep moving and let her be.