1802_0382 It's All in the Light
Since moving to the prairie full time in 2011, I've accumulated thousands of bison photos. That isn't surprising, considering the sizeable herd that lives in the big national park nearby; in slow seasons for wildlife - such as late winter - I can often find bison to photograph.
Sometimes I suspect that I've done everything I can with the shaggy beast. But that's a fallacy. There still exist aspects of their behaviour that I haven't captured, and even on days when they are just going about the routine business of being a bison, there may be good light. Last week I walked some distance from the road to shoot a group of cows and calves backlit and silhouetted against a low sun. The warm light bounced off snow and ice, turning it golden, as they filed past, conserving energy by walking in the tracks of the lead bison. On a dull day this would just be another snapshot, destined to be deleted or buried in a folder forever. But the light gave it life, transforming the snow that had itself transformed the prairie when it started falling last December. From a throwaway to a keeper - all because of the light!
Photographed in Grasslands National Park, Saskatchewan (Canada). Don't use this image on websites, blogs, or other media without explicit permission © 2018 James R. Page - all rights reserved.
1802_0382 It's All in the Light
Since moving to the prairie full time in 2011, I've accumulated thousands of bison photos. That isn't surprising, considering the sizeable herd that lives in the big national park nearby; in slow seasons for wildlife - such as late winter - I can often find bison to photograph.
Sometimes I suspect that I've done everything I can with the shaggy beast. But that's a fallacy. There still exist aspects of their behaviour that I haven't captured, and even on days when they are just going about the routine business of being a bison, there may be good light. Last week I walked some distance from the road to shoot a group of cows and calves backlit and silhouetted against a low sun. The warm light bounced off snow and ice, turning it golden, as they filed past, conserving energy by walking in the tracks of the lead bison. On a dull day this would just be another snapshot, destined to be deleted or buried in a folder forever. But the light gave it life, transforming the snow that had itself transformed the prairie when it started falling last December. From a throwaway to a keeper - all because of the light!
Photographed in Grasslands National Park, Saskatchewan (Canada). Don't use this image on websites, blogs, or other media without explicit permission © 2018 James R. Page - all rights reserved.