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Fishing Wolf in Rushng Water | |
This is my second post to the FM forums, and I would like to take a moment and thank the community here on Fred Miranda for all the kind words and the warm welcome that I received with my first post. Thank you!
This photograph was taken in Katmai National park. My wife and I had traveled there to photograph the salmon feeding brown bear, but I never expected to see a wolf. It is a fortunate and wonderful experience just to get to see a wolf, let alone see a wolf actually looking to take a fish. Unfortunately the salmon were not running strong that day, although the day before they had been. Fewer fish meant a lot fewer bear at the falls that day, which may have created more of an opportunity for the wolf to be out and try to find fish (without having to compete with so many hungry bears).
To say that I was excited is to put it mildly. It was a difficult moment for me photographically, I was very nervous, I guess you could say I had \"buck fever\". I was fumbling badly, just trying to pick up the camera and mount the lens before the wolf moved on. Needless to say I really was not ready for this photographic opportunity, and being ready and prepared to photograph is, as everyone who does wildlife photography knows, a fundamental rule! BTW as I was going through all this photographic stress, my wife was cool, calm and collected, and enjoying her opportunity to watch this beautiful creature while I was experiencing a my massive panic attack!
When I finally mounted the lens to the camera, all I could think about was making a unique image, one that hopefully would capture the thrill and beauty of the moment, I have an affinity for photographs featuring silky moving water, so all I could think was to use a slow shutter speed to blur the water, to give me the effect that I really like. I quickly placed the camera/lens on my tripod and slowed the shutter speed to blur the water.... not thinking for a moment that the wolf might move, effectively ruining my image. I was still in a state of shock and anxiety and could not think straight! Not until the wolf started upstream did I realize how lucky I had just been! I had made a major mistake, I never got my insurance shots of the wolf in the stream, photos taken at a more conventional higher shutter speed, that are more likely to give me sharp useable images of a wolf in a stream looking for fish. Fortunately for me the wolf remained still long enough to give me the image that I was seeking..... a very lucky break in deed!!!!!!
I sincerely hope you enjoy the image and the short story.\"buck fever\"
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