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September 2006 Newsletter
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Welcome! The Elk Rut in our western mountains has begun. For the next three to four weeks one of the most incredible wildlife displays in North America will be playing itself out in the meadows of Yellowstone National Park. Autumn Aspens and colorful scenery will have to take a backseat to bugling bull elk and the show they put on. If you can break away for a trip up north to Yellowstone spend some time from the West Yellowstone entrance station up to Mammoth Hot Springs and enjoy the spectacle.
It was with shock and disbelief that I heard of
the untimely death of naturalist Steve Irwin. He was one of the
great personalities in driving wildlife awareness, conservation, and
education through his film-making exploits as the Crocodile Hunter.
It seems every couple of years a photographer or videographer is killed
during shoots that involve wildlife but the loss of Steve Irwin was truly
a unique tragedy.
Bluff charged by an angry bull elk one minute - backed up and reversing direction by a charging grizzly bear - struck at by a rattlesnake - dive bombed by an eagle - huffed at by a black bear - or doing a facial down some slick snow on some red slickrock while chasing desert bighorn. While it may sound a little like Steve Irwin on a Crocodile Hunter show it was really just me or one of my photography comrades in the past few years in one of our national parks. It was with tremendous shock that I heard of the unfortunate accident involving Steve Irwin that claimed his life. His proximity to a wild animal - a normally docile stingray - lead to an unexpected event and tragedy for his family and all of us. In the past few weeks since his death it seems a debate has begun about the appropriateness of close encounters with wildlife, a debate that has centered around Steve and other TV wildlife personalities, such as the Cousteau Family and Jeff Corwin. The debate is over balancing two driving forces in modern outdoor cinematography that can be explained in one phrase: the need to entertain in order to educate. Steve Irwin blended his unique, over-the-top Aussie personality with his desire to promote his vision of wildlife environmentalism. Enthusiasm is a hallmark of successful people everywhere - but especially on TV. That was Steve Irwin. On one side there are purists who believe that to touch a wild animal or fish was to violate some kind of unwritten taboo of harassment. A barrier that separated nature from mankind that had to be protected in nature cinematography. Just view the critter - don’t touch it or be seen in-frame with it. Then there are those who believe that to touch is to understand. They believe we are already interacting with animals on this planet and showing that interaction is part of the educational process. That wildlife conservation best comes through active participation - whether personally or via a proxy - like Steve Irwin or Jeff Corwin. Now, I never met Steve Irwin or his contemporaries - but they have a familiar spirit about them that I recognize and enjoy - that to some degree runs through me. My wildlife photography experiences border on the bland when compared with Steve’s inquisitive, hands-on approach to wildlife interactions. Personally, I prefer my wildlife at a distance suitable for my 500mm telephoto lens. There are no film clips of me interacting with my subjects in the same frame. Any film clip of me would be on Spike TV's America’s Stupidest Photographers - not on the Discovery Channel. After photographing wildlife for 22 years - within the more limited constrains of still photography - I have taken crazy risks. Those risks led me to a greater understanding of my subjects that allows me to take fewer real risks now. Experience gives us perspective. In other words - since a grizzly or bull elk didn’t kill me when I deserved it - now, maybe it won’t happen when I‘m smarter and more disciplined in my photography. My wildlife images sell based on the subject, the environment, and my technical abilities as a photographer. Steve’s shows became popular because of the subject and its interactions with the effervescent host. Maybe he was a bit crazy - like a fox. There where popular nature shows that preceded the Crocodile Hunter. Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom with Marlin Perkins comes to mind from my youth. Only after I grew up did I find out that many encounters were staged, and many animals tame. I guess Marlin was doing a little acting. Marty Stouffer’s Wild America series fell on hard times amid some of the same grumbling of less-than-true cinematography. Our culture doesn’t tolerate fiction being presented in the form of truth - whether it be music (think lip-syncing) or movies (think Fahrenheit 911) or wildlife images (think tame pets and controlled animals) - and when it does great trauma seems to follow. No, we want it real, raw, and in our faces - Steve was real, raw, and in our face. Steve took what his vast personal experiences told him were reasonable, calculated risks. His hands-on approach was unique and personal - and more dangerous than I would have ever considered. His father’s reptile zoo became Steve’s laboratory for learning about wildlife. His Australian Zoo and successful TV show became a driving motivation to be more, do more, and show more - all traits we Americans respect and honor. It all seemed incredibly dangerous to us - a man constantly on the edge of killing himself by picking up a deadly snake or wrestling a huge crocodile. Steve put animals in your face - love them for what they are - but respect them and value them for their place in our world. He moved outside the Crocodile Pools of the Australian Zoo to the wild places of the world to put us in a position none of us would choose for ourselves. I read recently where Steve thought he would die young - and he did at 44, two years my junior. His wife thought he would fall from a tree but he thought a car accident would kill him. Either way, it drove him to do more. Personally, I thought one of those nasty, deadly Australian snakes would get him. We were all wrong. Today when I read the criticisms cloaked in hollow tributes by many of his peers I realize that he had crossed a threshold, he had pushed back the envelope of experiences that current and future wildlife cinematographers will have to cross themselves one day. Do they entertain as well as educate? Where will the line between those two things finally settle? That will require change. Change is resisted at first and criticism for those that force us to change is always quick to come. But in time emotions settle and wiser heads refocus the issues - then we Americans choose the winner with our patronage and our money. Shows by Nature, Nova, and the National Geographic Society on PBS show us a wildlife world cleansed of mankind. They use music and narration to humanize animals in their environments so that we can draw parallels to ourselves that increase our understanding and empathy. I grew up on these types of shows - and still enjoy them today - but they present us with a false view of the natural world. Its not the world I see in my wildlife photography. There is no dramatic orchestra music when a bear jumps on the back of a baby elk in Yellowstone. Nature is unforgiving and real - it is a pure truth in and of itself that doesn’t require man’s approval or music to understand. I prefer to see it how it is. Steve, Jeff, Jacques, Marlin, and Marty have tried a different approach with varying degrees of success. We humans are a part of the natural world and cohabit this planet with the animals. They want us to get muddy with them in learning about the critters around us. I guess I like to get muddy too - as do my sons. I guess we have chosen mud over music. So I admire Steve Irwin for being honest in his views of wildlife and our place in this world. His personality and passion are part of a changing view of wildlife and conservation. Maybe change can be a good thing in wildlife cinematography - but there will be critics. I’ve changed too. I was in Yellowstone photographing a grizzly from forty feet away a couple of days ago and actually walked up and shook the hand of the ranger that had done such a good job of managing the situation - without interfering with me. That was a personal first. Upon reading this many of my friends in Cache Valley who have been with me on a Yellowstone shoot or know something about my usual feelings for Yellowstone Rangers will gasp - then maybe they will smile just a little. No doubt Steve Irwin was looking down on me at that moment and uttered his usual epitaph at moments of great surprise - "Crikey". Steve Irwin had a passion for wildlife - I can relate to that. Here’s to you Steve. BRP |
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| Sunday, October 1st, 2006 | $145 | One Day Safari
- Jackson Hole Valley. This unique photographic experience covers a list of scenic and wildlife hotspots in the Jackson Hole Valley and Teton National Park. We begin by shooting sunrise at the beaver ponds at Schwabacher's Landing along the Snake River. Then we photograph the Moulton Barn (featured in the header image - top) and the Oxbow of the Snake River. Not only will we shoot dramatic scenic images but also the areas vast herd of rutting Moose and other wildlife. Towards dusk we will shoot from an overlook of the Snake River, autumn
Cottonwoods, the Grand Tetons - along with the setting sun. |
We meet at 6:30 am in the parking lot at the City Pond on the north edge of town on the main highway, across from the Dairy Queen near the beginning boundary of the National Elk Refuge. About 1 mile north of the center square of Jackson. |
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| Sunday, November 5th, 2006 | $145 | One Day Safari
- Zion National Park There are few places on Earth as dramatic as Zion Canyon when the fall colors are at their peak. Beautiful maples, oak, and cottonwoods add even more color to a canyon that is already dominated by color and size. We will not only shoot some of the classic locations - such as the Court of the Patriarch's and The Great White Throne - but also hike some lesser known canyon trails that lead to dramatic canyon vistas. We will shoot on the "roof" of Zion - above the tunnel - as well as sunset images from the Kolob Terrace section of the park. While in the canyon we will have opportunities to photograph mule deer bucks in the rut as well as the rare desert bighorn sheep. Wild turkeys, porcupines, and numerous bird species will also be subjects. |
We meet at 7:30 am in the parking area near the Zion National Park entrance sign just before the entrance gate in Springdale. Springdale is located about 20 miles east of the town of La Verkin, which is just north of Hurricane, Utah. |
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| Tuesday, November 14, 2006 | $30 | Digital
Photography Seminar From the basics to professional
photography techniques. There is about a two hour lecture with a/v
show and notes followed by a 30 minute digital nature show.
Following that the last 30 minutes are for a Q&A session and critique if
you want to bring some of your own images. |
The seminar runs from 6 to 9 pm at my studio in Providence. |
I've touched on the issue of safety in a couple of my published articles - without every really writing more than a paragraph or two about it - so I'm going to go into more detail here. Before I go into a lot of detail the obvious things should be said . . . all animals can be dangerous and deadly. As far as I know there have been no other cases of a Manta Ray killing a person - they are normally docile and their barbed spines will only make you sick, unless of course, it is thrust into your heart. Most people don't consider the Bison in Yellowstone to be dangerous - just a wilder version of a cow - yet most deaths and injuries in Yellowstone can be traced to the Bison, not the bears. With this in mind there are some things you can do to limit the danger you are in during nature photography field trips - and there is always danger. First, know the animal you are photographing. Some animals like bears, mountain lions, and mothers with young are far more dangerous to photograph no matter the situation. Predators like bears, lions, wolves, coyotes, foxes, badgers, otters, eagles, owls, snakes - all kill for a living. Game animals like deer, moose, elk, antelope, rabbits, squirrels, and bison don't kill for a living - they eat grass. Thus, there is a different type of danger involved with each of these two types of animals. Each type of animal will usually - though not always - exhibit behavior that should give warning to any type of approach. Many predators will stiffen the hair on their backs, walk stiff-legged, growl, huff, bluff charge, move away, or perform some other kind of dire warning that other animals recognize as a danger sign. You have to recognize those as well and move back, retreat, or possibly run if the situation warrants it. Many game animals will pound their hooves, shake their heads, raise their tails, huff, move away, and bluff charge if provoked. Different issues can provoke different reactions. If you block an elk from his intended path he will probably just go around you even if it means going well out of his way. If you block the path of a bear there is a much greater chance that he will initiate some aggressive behavior (stiff-legged walk, hair on neck, etc.) before a bluff charge - hoping to move you out of the way. If the bluff fails, he to will probably go around. But some bears won't. Grizzlies are more unpredictable and more aggressive than black bears. I've never been bluff charged by a black bear but I have been bluff charged by a grizzly twice, once for real. At nearly a hundred yards I could tell this bear was upset by the way he was moving. I was apparently on his path without knowing it. At fifty yards he bluff charged and I immediately moved back from the river that was between us - opening up his intended crossing point and the trail he wanted to follow. Animals follow trails for ease of travel just like people do. Animals that feel threatened by a close approach will charge and defend themselves. A bison or moose will use their size or antlers to defend themselves, while a predator will use its teeth or claws - but in either situation your life is at risk from even the most small and submissive wild animal. Don't be the first photographer killed by a fox. Second, have situational awareness. Know what is going on around you. Are there tourists or other photographers around pushing the animals in your direction? Is the animal feeding on a food source like a carcass or is it just moving casually along? Are there predators around a herd of game animals? Besides individual aggressive behavior, are members of a herd or pack acting jittery or annoyed? Are adults trying to feed young? Are the animals being stressed by the weather or season? Being aware of the situation you are walking into will have a lot to do with if you walk out or not. Another type of awareness is knowing your own escape rout. If the situation begins to become dangerous or has just the possibility of becoming dangerous - do you know what you are going to do? As you move forward into a situation you should also be calculating your retreat. How far are you from a safe out if the situation goes bad. I practice this even when shooting small or seemingly docile animals. Things to consider are all of the following: how fast is this animal and how slow am I? How far is cover? How far away are other photographers or groups of people? Can I safely get back in car if I leave it? Will the terrain I'm in slow me down if I need to retreat? Be aware of how the animals are acting, beyond just aggressive behavior. Do the animals appear at ease with people nearby? Are they acting frisky and playful? Playful for them might be deadly for you. Also, are you close to a center of attention. These could be dens, nests, a source of water, animal carcasses, game trails, or other food sources - anything that might bring animals together and make them nervous - or more dangerous. Third, use long telephoto lenses. The larger the lens the greater the distance you can maintain from your subject. I would rather have to back up than move closer to a potentially dangerous animal. You can not photograph a bear full-frame with a 200mm lens without getting too close, unless your standing behind your car. However, a 500mm lens can keep you shooting close images at a safe distance without stressing the animal. Personally, I think a 400mm lens is the shortest lens you can use on big-game animals and predators safely. This gives you a substantial amount of working distance, and distance is safety. Lastly, be proactive in defending yourself. By proactive I mean make choices that make you safer in any given situation. Don't be afraid to move back, or even not approach an animal if the situation seems hazardous. Never act like a predator or game animal - act like a human being. The wildlife in a park like Yellowstone see humans thousands of times - at close range - over their lives and know how people usually act. How you act can sometimes trigger how they act. If you act like a predator by trying to sneak up on an animal - it will treat you like the appropriate predator. That might mean running away, or it might mean charging and attacking. When I'm approaching any animal I begin shooting images almost right away. Let the animal see and hear you coming. Let it hear the camera. Don't surprise wild animals by suddenly appearing from behind a tree or jumping up from the grass - let them see you coming. Better yet, put yourself in a position so the animal makes the choice about whether to get closer to you or not. Most animals will tolerate a certain distance from humans and remain unstressed - let them decide that distance as long as its farther away than your own personal flight distance. When in doubt move farther away. Make a choice to de-escalate a potentially difficult situation. But also be aware that some situations aren't dangerous. Shooting in a group of photographers at a reasonable distance is probably completely safe. I've never heard of a bear attacking a group of photographers - so there is safety in numbers. Shooting from the road is almost always safe and less dangerous than moving into the fields and timber with the animals. When nothing can save you from a confrontation and running would only escalate the problem (you become a game animal) standing your ground may be the only option. You can sometimes dissuade a charging animal by yelling and waving your arms above your head. Flying your hat like a frisbee towards the animal might work to distract it. Dropping your backpack or camera bag and retreating may cause the animal to stop to investigate, looking for food. Some photographers carry bear mace and high-pitched noise makers. Personally, I carry a large can of Grizzly Mace in the field all the time and would use it as a last resort. Some bears have been maced before by park personnel and will retreat immediately from the mace cloud. Others may not. Use a tree or rock outcropping to keep a game animal at bay from making contact with you. If a small predator attacks you then fight back. Use your tripod or monopod, pick up a rock or sticks, climb a tree if possible - but fight back while retreating towards safety. I include black bears in that group. Bears attack for two reasons: first, you have surprised it or encountered it near a food source or near its young and it wants to beat you up some, then retreat. Second, it might want to eat you. Sick or hurt bears have been know to hunt humans though that is extremely rare. If a large bear attacks you and no further defense is possible then curl up in a ball, interlock your fingers behind your neck, tuck your knees up to your chest - and play dead. Try not to scream or struggle. 95% of these kind of attacks leave the human wounded but alive. Yellowstone has rules in regard to approaching wild animals. You can't approach a bear within a hundred yards, and most other animals within twenty-five yards. However, many times these animals approach you and these rules don't apply, especially close to the road. No image is worth the animals life, nor your life - so be wary in the field.
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| Photoshop Tricks: Digital Velvia | |||
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Correcting the color balance in an image is tricky on a computer screen. Original digital files are generally flat - no matter what color space you are using. I found this little trick online to boost color saturation without over-coloring the image. Its called Digital Velvia after that Fuji Slide Film's tremendously saturated colors. Try it. 1. Create a second layer of the image. 2. Select Channel Mixer by going to Image \ Adjustments \ Channel Mixer. 3. In the Channel Mixer dialogue box - RED is the first color channel that appears. Increase the value to 120% while decreasing the Green and Blue channels to -10% each - so the net value is still at 100%. 4. Now select the Green Channel. Increase its value to 120% and decrease the other colors by -10% each so the net value is still at 100%. 5. Now select the Blue Channel and apply the same changes. When you are finished close the dialogue box. 6. Click the eye on the layer palette to view the changes before and after using the channel mixer. If the color changes look too strong - just decrease the opacity of the new layer until the desired effect is made. This 20% change in color saturation is about average for what I do in both portaiture and nature photography. Sometimes yellow might be too strong in a print and needs to be reduced. You can alter individual colors by going to Image \ Adjustments \ Hue and Saturation - then select Yellow and decrease the saturation until the correct level is reached..
Create a new action in the Actions Palette that does this Digital Velvia
Action
(Color Mixer Enhancement) to your image quickly each time - thus saving
time if many images are to be processed. |
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Photo Hotspots |
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| 1.
Yellowstone National Park - the elk rut is on right now. From
mid-September through mid-October the elk are bugling and the action is
everywhere in the park. Some particularly good elk locations are the
meadows along the Madison River just after your cross the bridge,
a few miles in to the park from West Yellowstone. Another spot is
the big meadows along the Madison Junction to Norris Junction road and
from Sheepeater Cliffs north to Mammoth Hot Springs. These locations
give reasonably close access to elk from road locations. 2. Grand Teton National Park - the moose rut is just winding down but large populations of moose are evident in the willows that stretch down the east range of the Tetons along the Snake River. Also, go east from Moran Junction a couple of miles to the Buffalo Road which goes off to the northwest. Follow it past some outfitters and lodges and you will find some more large willow meadows and the nearby Buffalo River. 3. Zion National Park - Fall colors are coming in early November as is the mule deer rut in Zion Canyon. Desert Bighorn sheep up on the "roof" of Zion above, or east, of the tunnel are also coming into the rut and are much easier to see and photograph. Look for the colorful maples that stretch from the Grotto to the turn-around at Sinewava Falls where the Narrows hike begins. If you are daring go to the NPS Zion website and sign up to hike the subway, which is the North Creek (left fork) Trailhead from the Kolob Terrace section of the park. I hiked the Subway trail last November and shot some great images. I also didn't drink enough fluids and probably didn't eat enough snacks on the trail and had some serious exhaustion issues for the last two miles out - of the eight mile round-trip hike. So prepare yourself and your equipment and food/water carefully. It was the 12th time I've hiked the subway and I should have known better. I'll probably go again sometime. 4.
Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge - Fall brings millions of migratory
birds through the refuge just west of Brigham City, Utah.
Ducks, geese, mergansers, hawks, eagles, etc - come through the refuge's
ponds and holding areas. Shorebirds and songbirds are also
plentiful. Use your car as your portable blind and don't worry about
the bugs - the first frosts take care of them. |
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| One of my favorite images - these autumn maples were photographed in Zion Canyon in November 2003. The black branches really make the colors pop. |
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| It is truly unfortunate that maples and aspens don't come into prime color at exactly the same time. Maples come first, then the aspens. This image was taken near the Tony Grove Rd at the top of Logan Canyon. |
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| This stocky wild stallion was photographed in central Utah crossing a virtual sea of sagebrush. He was leading a number of mares and foals from one ridge down into the sagebrush and then up to the next ridge. |
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| © 2006 Brent Russell Paull All Rights Reserved | |||
A Tribute
to Steve Irwin
