Animal Photography Attacks
I was on on assignment photographing a large heard of elk in the late afternoon. A huge bull was standing magestically 15 feet away behind a 6 foot fence. I was thrilled that he was so close and began tripping the shutter like a machine gun. Lots of thing were going through my mind at that moment like shutter speed / f stop conversions, composition, even lighting levels but to tell you the truth my safety didn’t even cross my mind. Let’s be honest if the elk had charged it could have traveled the distance and jumped the fence before I had time to soil my pants.
Photography is an amazing thing when it all works right but just remember, your dealing with wild animals, anything could and probably will happen.
Remember, “visual risk, never physical risk.”
While reading this and looking at the photos I laughed. Not because it is at all funny but because I can see myself being one of those people. My two favorite things are photography and wild animals and when I put the two together I constantly am guilty of “forgetting” they are wild. The is especially true when it comes to anything furry. I will get rigt up close … many times within arms reach if possible.