Encounter with Wildlife
As I have mentioned earlier, we were early for fall colours this year, maybe only 20% of the trees changed, if that. The Bat Lake Trail was a great hike in the morning and we drove afterwards along Highway 60 to Whitney for lunch at the Mad Musher. On the way back we got stupid lucky, a moose cow and her calf were eating by the side of the road, this makes up for the lousy fall colours.
We weren't the only ones there, my guess there was about 60 to 80 people on the side of the road as well trying to get a shot of the moose. I like to think I'm a decent photographer but I've never shot wildlife either in a controlled environment (zoo) or out in the wild in this case before. My two concerns were one, get something decent because chances me getting anything like this will be slim to none and more importantly have an exit strategy. While the momma moose seemed comfortable around humans we're still talking a 1000 lb animal that can do some serious damage if it felt threatened.
My big concern wasn't my friends, we know better, it's the 80 or so other people who may or may not have a clue how to behave near a wild animal. All it takes is one village idiot to press his/her luck and we got an angry moose charging on us. Thankfully people knew better and we all got an experience of a lifetime except for the regulars who shoot wildlife photography, it's just another weekend in the park for them.
Camera: Nikon FM, Nikkor Ais 200 f4 and 105 f2.5 lenses.
Film: Portra 400
We weren't the only ones there, my guess there was about 60 to 80 people on the side of the road as well trying to get a shot of the moose. I like to think I'm a decent photographer but I've never shot wildlife either in a controlled environment (zoo) or out in the wild in this case before. My two concerns were one, get something decent because chances me getting anything like this will be slim to none and more importantly have an exit strategy. While the momma moose seemed comfortable around humans we're still talking a 1000 lb animal that can do some serious damage if it felt threatened.
My big concern wasn't my friends, we know better, it's the 80 or so other people who may or may not have a clue how to behave near a wild animal. All it takes is one village idiot to press his/her luck and we got an angry moose charging on us. Thankfully people knew better and we all got an experience of a lifetime except for the regulars who shoot wildlife photography, it's just another weekend in the park for them.
Camera: Nikon FM, Nikkor Ais 200 f4 and 105 f2.5 lenses.
Film: Portra 400
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