Innocence

Captured in my local forest in the Autumn of 2020, I had arrived at an area I know is a high traffic zone for deer & set up shop. On my arrival a woman walking her dog, her very loud dog had just passed. As a result, I thought to myself it was going to be a while before I had a chance at seeing any deer. I was wrong, waiting less than sixty-seconds before I heard another sound. I glanced over my left shoulder to see to my delight, a doe and her fawn whom I immediately recognized! The pair appeared over a small hill just behind me. Our paths had crossed a few times, so this young family and I were familiar with one another. The pair carried on about their business almost as if I weren’t there. Every now and then mom would pause to throw a look my way, to just keep tabs on me and what I was doing. This image is one of a handful from this encounter, for me, the best part about this evening was simply sitting there with the pair, being present. I spent more time observing the pair than I did crafting photos.

People often ask, how I am so successful with my wildlife photography? I often tell folks, one of the keys to my success is observation. I’ve learned so much over the years by simply spending time observing. Observation after all, is how much of what people know about animals, has come to be. I’d much rather sit in the woods staring at the real thing before my eye’s vs watching it on a documentary or nature show at home. There are plenty of times I put the camera down & simply soak up the scene and watch the animals do their thing. It is also a great way for animals to be relaxed and in turn, observe and learn about you. Animals are smart, they have the ability to recognize individuals, they have memories, they have much greater senses than us. The more time you spend around them in an ethical manner, the more they will also learn about you and you, them. Spending some quality time in the woods can go a long way for your photographic opportunities. Whoever first said patience is a virtue, was spot on.