Elk Viewing Excellent 1/6/12

This morning there were 3 herds in the Boxley Valley fields. In addition, there were two small groups of bulls in post-rut herds. Overall I would rate the elk viewing as excellent and pretty much covering the valley from end to end. It very seldom gets better than this.

One of the bulls has a wound on his back. I have been emailed about him. I saw him this morning and he seems to be healing well. He lost a pretty big piece of hide last year, possibly in a hunting injury, but it is not clear to me how it happened. The good news is that he seems to have scabbed over and looks healthy.

This is a perfect weekend to visit and see the elk. This weather is ideal for hiking with moderate temperatures and outstanding leaf-off scenery.

See the map for details on the elk herd locations. These are pretty reliable between updates of the map. There are more elk now in the valley than in a while.

New Year's Elk Viewing & Locations

Today there were three herds in Boxley Valley -- two of them were large.

For many days now there has been one herd in the Ponca fields north of the observation pullout near Lost Valley. Other days it has been up closer to the launch in the northern most field. When we went past there this morning the elk were still in plain view at 9AM.

The second large herd has been around the 43/21 intersection now for a few days.

The third herd is an all bull herd in the first field north of the Buffalo River down by Cave Mountain Road. This is just a few animals, but they are large. Most people will not see them because they are quite far from the road -- Highway 21.

Remember to check Lost Valley when you visit. Today that Ponca herd was quite close to Lost Valley and could well rotate into those fields tonight.

Be safe. Elk viewing will be great for months yet.

Steps to Photo Mastery in 2012

This first day of 2012 was perfect. This was a morning of fewer opportunities but it was wonderful to be out shooting and just walking around. Old photographers, like old hunters, appreciate just being out there. There is no bad day with the camera, especially in the wild. 

This morning I hiked a short upper wilderness stretch of the Buffalo National River, known as the Hailstone. Yesterday I got pictures of otter in a nearby farm pond. Otter often move every day and today was no different. I bet on a couple of upstream pools that might hold them today but that turned out to be wrong. I thought it was no better than a 30% shot that I would see them -- it was OK. 

Long Scale, Two Colors, Shapes & Lines
Winter Photography is a Time to Learn

I did get a decent landscape, but like most winter river landscapes it is austere. I consider winter the best time to work on your skills as a photographer. I love the simplicity. 

I stalk through the ice, detritus and steel blue water shopping patterns and long tonal scales. What were bright colors are now shades of brown. This is a season that favors black and white, and minimalists like me. 

I practice one fundamental exercise with many variations. I challenge myself to find photos where there seem to be none. Generally I will do this with one lens. There is no distraction from the task at hand. My goal and focus is to find photos where there seem to be none. 

At its base, a photo is a symphony of colors, lines, shapes and tonal values organized in a pleasing pattern. You task is to recognize what is plainly in front of you, then make choices about what to include, and what to throw away. This includes choosing with your heart. It is a simple idea, but tough to pull off. 

Becoming more thoughtful about the creative process of deconstruction and reconstruction will be one key to your success. There is such a thing as talent, but there is nothing here that cannot be taught and improve anyone's skills. Even the talented, perhaps especially the talented, need to understand what they do naturally through deconstruction if they are to reach the next level. 

The point of practice some ways is to make the intuitive deliberate then more deeply intuitive, in a deepening cycle of learning. Much as athletes do drills regardless of skill level, photographers must do their drills regardless of skill level. Pablo Casals, the great cellist said that one day without practice and he would notice it, two days without practice and his audience would notice it. 

The point is this, the path to mastery has no final destination. We all travel this path. If we work at our craft, we continue down the mastery path closer to the destination that will never be reached. If we do our exercises, we will move down that path more quickly. The satisfaction comes in the learning process, and experiencing days like today. Surely one thing learned along the path to mastery is that accepting what nature gives us is blessing enough. 

The Thinking Side of Photography

Lately I have been meditating on my free February workshop presentation to the Harrison Camera Club. The topic is Wildlife, Wild Flowers & Wild Hairs. It is important to me not to be entirely serious. I am certain there is wisdom in stepping back from certainty and understanding that all things are "wiggly", the world is about verbs mostly and few nouns intrude. This includes all rules, mine included.

My core focus will be on "wild hairs". I think about photography a lot. I deconstruct, take apart, the creative process believing that careful thinking is the most important creative tool any photographer has. Put another way, "your head should always be attached" when you take photos. It is true that serendipitous photos come your way if you are hacking around, but you can get better results if you re-attach your head.

Here is a short list of my personal wild hairs about photography:

Pre-visualization & Light 

• Great photos tell stories. To quote poet Muriel Rukeyser "The universe is made of stories, not atoms". Like stories, pictures range from haiku to novels. You will succeed the extent to which you tell a story. Does your photography evoke emotions? 
• Equipment is not photography any more than brushes are painting. I really get fatigued over this confusion. My recommendation on equipment is that you should not buy before you hit a creative barrier in your actual picture taking.  The time may come when the lack of a certain lens will matter, or not. Toting 25 lenses mostly hurts your back, it does not expand your creativity in most cases. Often I take just one lens. Yup.
• Composition is what matters most. How do you learn composition? Dig, study and shoot. Step outside your norms and make mistakes. Study composition in painting for landscapes and portraiture, study composition in flower arranging for wildflowers, etc. Take risks, try stuff. Etc.  If an image "speaks to you" figure out why and how it was taken. 
• Learn to see light. Seriously. Many photographers simply don't see. Do you know your camera sees only 50% or so of the light of your eyes, meaning short tonal range? You can expose for the shadows or highlights, or take HDR's to capture the whole range in the scene. Understand that subtle differences in light will be amplified in your image.
• Study Photography through Pre-Visualization. You can learn a lot by relaxing and thinking about light and composition for any subject. Forget the camera, use your imagination to identify what you seek in light, shadow, form, and organization of those forms.  For animal photography, what behaviors do you seek? For landscapes, what lighting, what forms and lines, placement of objects, and so on?  If you do pre-visualization exercises you will recognize an opportunity much better when it presents itself. 

Opportunities Must be Recognized 

This short list is only the beginning really, but it does cover the high spots. Each of the 5 points is a book in itself. My photo $150 one-on-one workshops get at these points (and others). 

Ansel Adams said that getting 5 good photos a year was a good average, any more was a very good year. That is the confession of a master who understood the points above (and more). 

Now is a good time to study. The challenge of working in the subtle tones of winter forces your hand as a photographer. Finding compositions in this context is always challenging, but you must believe there is a photo. Be thoughtful, make mistakes, learn. Greet the 2012 season with a new creative approach. 

12/11/11 December Overview

December has to be one of the biggest missed opportunities for photographers and elk watchers. This is the end of the rut, but there are big bulls around in all-bull herds and in late rut herds.

The picture below was taken this morning. It is always nice to get one of the big boys around water. In this case he was crossing one of the many creeks in Boxley Valley. This was taken shortly after he was aroused from bedding right next to Highway 43. The "black" patch on his back is from the ice that broke away from his hide -- it is surrounded by white frost. I like the reflection in delicately foggy water.

There are great pictures to be had. I have not been posting maps because there is also an elk hunt underway, or at least there was. I don't want to be a guide for the hunt.

This morning there were two herds on the valley. One by the Ponca Access, and a second down by the 43/21 intersection. Both are nice-sized herds.

The ends of the day remain the best time for elk photos. Other times you may see elk in this cold weather, but the light is flat and the herds are likely to be bedded down rather than moving. This morning I saw a creek crossing and a road crossing. There were only 3 other vehicles watching the elk -- a lot for December.  Come on down and you will probably have the place to yourself.

Late Rut/Post Rut Wall-Hanger -- Taken 12/11/11

12/3/11 The Beast Returns in the South Valley

This morning I was pleasantly surprised to see the Boxley Beast with a big harem down by the Buffalo River in the south end.

In other areas of the valley viewing is much the same. Two bulls are still rutting. There are all bull herds by the intersection of Highway 43 and 21.

True to history, this morning I had the valley to myself. I got a picture of elk in the river, a nice close up or two of the Boxley Beast along the woods. Great opportunities and nobody is taking advantage of them.

This weekend will be cold and perhaps icy weather will make driving difficult, but if the trees ice, the photography can be amazing. Elk will love the icy weather.

Today's herd map is below:

12/1/11 Elk Viewing Good, Weekend Ahead

This is just about ideal weather for all day elk viewing. There is no question that mornings and evenings remain the best time for viewing, but the herds are less likely to run away the first time sun hits the fields.

Frost Blossoms Now Occur on Cold Mornings
They are Great Abstract Subjects

December 1 there were 3 herds of some size in the valley, with a tiny one mid valley.

The first Ponca field has been pretty good for few days now. The herd there is young animals, many of them yearlings. You can observe they are a bit small, and they can be very playful. These elk will spring around like baby goats. The small bull with them twirls fighting imaginary foes.

At the intersection of highway 43 and 21 there are two herds. One is all bulls, the second is a mixed herd that is another tail end of the rut herd.

So far as I can tell, there are still two bulls running cows in Boxley Valley. The rut is really winding down, but some breeding is still going on.

Remember to check Lost Valley when you visit. December has traditionally be the hot month for elk in Lost Valley. I have no idea why.