2001_0532 Plains Bison
Two Plains Bison calves, watched over by the mother of at least one - possibly both - appear unsure about the thing that has rolled to a stop close by. That would be my Toyota car blind, of course, and I believe that most wildlife view it as some form of strange noisy beast, maybe a big red cow. I didn't linger long. The Grasslands bison are habituated to people and cars, so a longer encounter is within acceptable limits, but I had been shooting for most of the day and was tired.
Winter light. Prairie light. Mix the two and you often get something very special. It helps to not mind the cold. I often find myself procrastinating about going out to shoot in the cold, but I have never regretted an outing, so it's really all about motivation.
Sometimes I have to trick myself: "I know there'll be a badger today!" Usually there isn't, but then I find something else. The important thing is to get out there, see what's being offered, and respond accordingly. If not a badger, maybe bison; if not bison, maybe hoarfrost; if not frost, maybe the way the late light hits the curve of a snowdrift at the edge of a coulee. The next week or so will be devoted to keeping an open mind and finding something to shoot when there's really no plan or goal.
Photographed in Grasslands National Park, Saskatchewan (Canada). Don't use this image on websites, blogs, or other media without explicit permission © 2020 James R. Page - all rights reserved.
2001_0532 Plains Bison
Two Plains Bison calves, watched over by the mother of at least one - possibly both - appear unsure about the thing that has rolled to a stop close by. That would be my Toyota car blind, of course, and I believe that most wildlife view it as some form of strange noisy beast, maybe a big red cow. I didn't linger long. The Grasslands bison are habituated to people and cars, so a longer encounter is within acceptable limits, but I had been shooting for most of the day and was tired.
Winter light. Prairie light. Mix the two and you often get something very special. It helps to not mind the cold. I often find myself procrastinating about going out to shoot in the cold, but I have never regretted an outing, so it's really all about motivation.
Sometimes I have to trick myself: "I know there'll be a badger today!" Usually there isn't, but then I find something else. The important thing is to get out there, see what's being offered, and respond accordingly. If not a badger, maybe bison; if not bison, maybe hoarfrost; if not frost, maybe the way the late light hits the curve of a snowdrift at the edge of a coulee. The next week or so will be devoted to keeping an open mind and finding something to shoot when there's really no plan or goal.
Photographed in Grasslands National Park, Saskatchewan (Canada). Don't use this image on websites, blogs, or other media without explicit permission © 2020 James R. Page - all rights reserved.