Few would argue that one of the cutest sea mammals around are Sea Otters. Whether they’re grooming, using tools to crack open shellfish to eat or just warming themselves in the sun Sea Otters seem to have an eternally cute appearance. As Sea Otters rest in rafts you never know what pose they might take. The rare combination is the “see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil” pose between neighboring otters. I happened to get luck one morning witnessing and seeing this classic pose. I do wonder if I’ll catch this pose again… I hope so.
Recently I had a horrible experience getting a much needed photo for an assignment due to increased traffic and limited space. Here are 3 critical steps I learned to overcome these obstacles.
#1: Arrive Early & Be Assertive
I make it a habit to always arrive early to the location of my shoot. This enables me to find the best location to work, scope out different shots, set up shop, locate new & old friends as I wait and ward off others who might intrude on my working space. It’s very important that if others are intruding on your space that you be assertive by give them a clear message as to where your working space begins and ends.
#2: Defend Your Space, Never Give An Inch
If others are not getting the message stand your ground. The minute you give an inch is the moment you lose the respect of those around you. This can be incredibly difficult and even tiring if enough traffic is present interfering with your shoot, but it is worth it in the end. Gaining the respect of those around you will ensure that you can work effectively to get the shot you’re after.
#3: Never Miss An Opportunity to Turn Lemons into Lemonade
While it may seem unorthodox that you have to be assertive and defend your space it is quite normal. In time it’s important to always reconnect with those you’ve had troubling encounters with to reestablish a professional relationship. While awkward at first it’s important to take the high road as you never know how or when word of mouth may impact your ability to get work published or obtain future assignments.
Fast food has an altogether different meaning for Sea Otters. Voracious they’re almost always hunting and clams are among their favorite quick meals. This photo was captured shortly after the clam was pounded with a rock… a common sight to see. Sea Otters make fast work of shellfish, so shortly after this the hunt was on for another meal. In all the time I’ve been photographing Sea Otters this was one of the bigger clams I’ve seen eaten.
I’m due to head back out on Saturday January 23rd to photograph Sea Otters and a variety of shorebirds on my next Sea Otter photo tour. There’s still availability if you’re interested. For those who enjoy Sea Otters, but won’t be able to join me enjoy my growing Sea Otter photo portfolio.
California Sea Otter Eating a Clam - Elkhorn Slough, California
Canon 1Ds Mark III, 1/640 sec, f/8, 840mm (600mm + 1.4x)
In 2009 I was very fortunate to have had some incredible photo opportunities. Selecting my best photos from this past year was much more difficult than choosing my best photos of 2008 and 2007. After taking the time to review the best of the tens of thousands of photos I took this year I narrowed my choices down to the best 50, then best 25 and finally down to these 10 best photos. To view higher resolution versions of these and my other favorite photos of 2009 less the heavy watermark check out the video at the end of this post.
Honorable Mentions:
Honorable Mention #4: Clark’s Grebe and Fish (Aechmophorus clarckii)
This was one of many wildlife photos taken during my Sea Otter Photo Tour trips this year. While Sea Otters are plentiful one cannot ignore the amazing variety of bird life in this area as well.
Honorable Mention #3: Sinopah Mountain Reflected in Two Medicine Lake at Sunrise – Glacier National Park
In early June I was fortunate to arrive in Glacier National Park after a late snow storm. With in the next few days I was graced with amazing scenery and light.
Honorable Mention #5: Yosemite Valley Chapel in Snow Storm
The highlight of the later part of this year was to be present for 11 inches of snowfall in Yosemite valley. It was an incredible experience capturing the essence of winter and the holidays while photographing Yosemite Valley Chapel.
Honorable Mention #1 Illumination
The Sierra foothills are an amazing place and I was quite fortunate to be in the right place at the right time to photograph an Oak tree under an amazing sunset sky.
My Top 10 Favorite Photos of 2009:
#10: Sea Otter and Sleeping Pup (Enhydra lutris)
The highlight of every Sea Otter Photo Tour is being able to photograph Sea Otter pups with their mothers. This was one of my favorites.
#9: Vine Snake (Oxybelis fulgidus)
While in Costa Rica I was very fortunate to see a master of camouflage, the Vine Snake (Oxybelis fulgidus). Their intensely green scales and leaf shaped head make them incredibly challenging to find.
#8: Racetrack Textures – Death Valley National Park
One of my favorite landscape abstracts taken at the Racetrack in Death Valley National Park during one of my many photo tours this year.
#7: Mount Grinell Reflected in Swiftcurrent Lake at Sunrise – Glacier National Park, Montana
An early morning view of Mount Grinell reflected in Swiftcurrent Lake just before fog obscured the view.
#6: Zabriskie Point Sunrise, Death Valley National Park, California
Remnants of a storm that swept through the Sierra Nevada mountains added to an already amazing view of Zabriskie Point at sunrise. This was one of the many great landscape opportunities to be had during my Death Valley photo tour.
#5: A Brown-throated Sloth and Her Baby Eat Leafs – Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica
Wildlife in Costa Rica is plentiful and this special moment of a Brown-throated Sloth and her baby feeding on leafs was one of the many highlights of my trip. My wife was dismayed that this wasn’t my top choice for 2009 as it was her favorite of the year.
#4: Star Trail Abstract
This ultra long exposure of the Milky Way over silhouetted mountains is among my top favorites this year.
#3: Racetrack Light Lasso – Death Valley National Park, California
Never satisfied with the status quo I had a blast experimenting with some light painting on my Death Valley photo tour. After hours of experimentation I came away with 5 excellent photos similar to this, but this is my favorite.
#2: Pattern Abstract I
In 2009 I was working on numerous photo projects, many of which are still under wraps for the moment. One photo that inspired me to start yet another project was this nature abstract. Stay tuned as there’s more to follow for this project.
#1: Mobius Arch Star Trails
7 hours in the field and numerous more in post-production, this photo of Mobius Arch with star trails in the background came out exactly as I had envisioned. Extremely fond of this location I’m always striving to capture something new when I visit.
Bonus: Best Photo Not Taken By Me…
Normally I highlight photos that I’ve taken through out the year, but this is my favorite photo taken by someone else. Baby G should arrive in early June and if my wife and I are lucky we’ll know the sex tomorrow.
Best Photos of 2009 video
Music “Comfort Zone” courtesy of General Fuzz
Thanks a ton General Fuzz your music makes the video!
Check out more of General Fuzz’s great music at http://www.generalfuzz.net
The diversity and relative abundance of wildlife here in Northern California is one of the many qualities of this area that attracted me to call this location home. With the thought of “abundance” in mind I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving weekend with family sharing good food and creating lasting memories. Even at this time of year birds have their feasts, rather than being feasted on, as is evident in this photo of a Clark’s Grebe (Aechmophorus clarkii) holding a fish in it’s beak. I got a chance to enjoy this moment on my last Sea Otter Photo Tour (the next one is on January 23rd, 2010).
Clark
This photo was taken at a focal length of 840mm (600mm + 1.4x TC) and I was very happy to have still had space to capture the birds reflection in the foreground. Taking a closer look at the photo (see below) you can see a very unhappy fish and some added detail of water droplets on the feathers of the Grebe. While this isn’t quite a 1:1 crop you can really see how much detail resides in 20+ megapixel image. I have to admit I still get a little giddy when I zoom in on a photo like this. The lack of film grain is something I still enjoy quite a bit in my wildlife photographs.
The only time California Sea Otters seem to take a break from eating is when they’re resting in a raft. While sea otters will eat independently they will cluster together when they rest. This photo is a perfect example of this behavior. Joining in a raft provides them the ability to groom, sleep and warm their hands in feet.
Raft of Sea Otters (Enhydra lutris)
As you finish eating your Thanksgiving dinner this weekend make like the Sea Otters… resting and catching up with family and friends. As I recall my grandfather always struck a similar pose after his Thanksgiving dinner except he’d rest in a Lazy-Boy chair in front of a wood console TV. Close enough!
On a drive through Wyoming I had the great fortune of watching and photographing Pronghorn in a near by field. Much of the Wyoming landscape is fenced off and mostly with barbed wire fences. This photo is a great example how high a healthy buck can jump easily clearing such a partition. Unfortunately I’ve seen some rather gruesome photos of Pronghorn and other migratory species getting caught on such fences and perishing. Fish and Game departments in various states with in the wildlife corridor have made attempts to provide ranchers with guidelines to minimize such events (Ex. Pronghorn Management Guide – 2006 via Game and Fish Department North Dakota), but they do still occur.
Leaping Pronghorn (Antilocapra americana)
With out thinking, due to our constant exposure to fences and walls in urban areas, we seldom think twice about such structures in open areas. The next time you take a road trip through the country take notice of how many fences there truly are… it’s astounding.
“Good fences make good neighbors.” – Robert Frost’s poem “Mending Wall”
Fences, particularly barb wire, certainly do not make us good neighbors or stewards of nature.
I’m going to be returning to Yosemite National Park in the next few weeks as part of my coming Yosemite photo tour and I’m really looking forward to it. It’s been a while, but the great thing about Yosemite is that it’s a location that offers so much to photograph. As a result it’s one of the most inviting locations for photographers… the valley is always a gracious host to those with a camera in hand. If you’re interested in joining me it’s not too late as I have a couple of spots left. Three weeks to go and I’m curious as to what surprises await. In the past I’ve been awe struck by amazing sunsets, beautiful snow covered landscapes and encounters with local wildlife.
Winter really is the best time to see Yosemite especially when one is fortunate to be there with snow on the ground.
