CameraintheWild - Carolinas Nature Photographers Association

When
Photographing
Animals
in the Wild
Just Isn’ t
Happening
Margaret van Bulck Smith
margaret@vanbulckphotography.com
I
love wolves. No, I mean I really love wolves. I get a huge rush
photographing wolves. In fact, for me, just seeing wolves in the
wild is amazing. Hearing them howl at night is like nothing else
I’ve ever experienced. For others, it may be a different animal, but
for me, it’s wolves. I have been to Yellowstone in search of wolves.
Immediately after my first Photoshop workshop in Missoula,
Montana at the Rocky Mountain School of Photography, I joined
a group with Natural Habitat Adventures (www.nathab.com) on a
Yellowstone in Winter tour in search of wolves. That was definitely
a high point in my life. I was just beginning my new life as a photographer.
I had spent a week behind the computer, and l was eager to
get outside, take some photographs and practice my
newly acquired Photoshop skills. Although it was not
a photography trip, per se, everyone in our group was
a photographer. Our two guides went out of their way
to insure that everyone had plenty of time to capture
great images of Yellowstone, the Grand Tetons, and
as much wildlife as possible. The trip was amazing and
greatly exceeded my expectations. Neither my camera
nor my lens was outstanding, but I got to photograph
all manner of wildlife at close range. It was my first
experience photographing wildlife, and from that
point on, I was hooked.
While in Yellowstone, I saw a young wolf walk next
to our vehicle not more than six feet away from where
I sat. I wasn’t expecting a wolf to just wander by, and
no, I wasn’t even holding my camera. By the time I
grabbed my gear and tried to focus, he was gone. I
didn’t even get an out-of-focus tail shot. Later that
24 • Camera in the Wild • Fall 2011
Wading, Seacrest Wolf Preserve
day, however, we found a pack of wolves. We found another pack
the following day. I have dozens of photographs that I will always
cherish. I seriously doubt I’ll ever print any of them. The wolves
were too far away and my lens was entirely too short to capture a
really good image. From time to time, I go back and look at them on
my computer and feel warm and fuzzy all over, remembering that
amazing trip. No one else would (or could) appreciate those black
specks in the white snow. I know that someday I will go back to
Yellowstone. Next time, I will have longer lenses, a private guide,
and lots of prayers. However, I want more than a once in a lifetime
experience.
In the Grasses, Seacrest Wolf Preserve
Since that time, I have had many opportunities to photograph wildlife.
There is nothing like photographing animals in the wild. That
said, sometimes the animals we are hoping to photograph just don’t
cooperate. Wolves are particularly elusive animals. When we want
to photograph an animal that we just can’t find in the wild, it comes
down to moving to “Plan B” or just not photographing them at all.
After my trip to Yellowstone, I knew that I wanted to get close to
those amazing animals. The idea of
not photographing wolves did not
seem at all appealing. So, I opted for
“Plan B.” My first attempt to photograph
captive wolves was at Triple D
Game Farm in Kalispell, Montana
(http://www.tripledgamefarm.com/).
The animals at Triple D are actually
trained models used by professional
photographers and videographers.
They are in enclosed areas with no
barriers separating the photographers
from the animals. I was able to get
very close to the wolves, actually close
enough to touch them. How exhilarating!
While the wolves are typically
comfortable around people, they are
still wild animals. They are allowed to
move freely and consequently exhibit
natural behaviors which hopefully
On the Prowl, Triple D Game Farm
come through in my images. Wolves
were not the only animals I photographed at Triple D, but they were
definitely the highlight of my trip.
I also discovered the Seacrest Wolf Preserve in Chipley, Florida
(http://www.seacrestwolfpreserve.org/). It is closer home and in a
more natural environment. There, displaced wolves find a home in a
natural setting. With over four hundred acres at Seacrest, the wolves
live in an environment as close to their natural habitat as possible in
captivity. My weekend at Seacrest provided a chance to photograph
several different packs at different times of the day and evening and
in different settings. On the last
evening, as a special treat, both for
the wolves and the photographers,
one of the packs was given a deer.
The deer fed to the wolves are typically
road-kill. The highway department
notifies Seacrest when a deer
has been killed by an automobile.
Seacrest picks up the dead deer,
typically freezes them, and saves
them as special treats for the wolves.
Watching the wolves feed was fascinating.
True pack behavior was
exhibited, and pecking order was
obvious. Don’t get me wrong. I love
deer. I have a deer feeder outside my
house just because I enjoy having
them close by. I cringe when I consider hunters shooting them. But
watching the pack feed on that deer gave me a new appreciation for
the natural order of the animal kingdom.
Seacrest Wolf Preserve provides photographers and videographers
the opportunity to capture images of gray wolves and small
Guarding the Pack, Triple D Game Farm
mammals such as foxes, raccoons, and skunks. In addition to
providing a haven for gray wolves, the owners attempt to educate
the public about the role wolves play in the natural world and to
teach tolerance and respect in the hope that it will create a passion
for protecting them.
A third option for photographing wolves in a controlled environment
is the Lakota Wolf Preserve in Knowlton Township, Warren
County, NJ (http://www.lakotawolf.
com/). There photographers will
discover packs of Tundra, Timber,
and Arctic wolves in a natural
surrounding along with bobcats and
foxes. Photographers have access
to unobstructed views of wolves in
their natural settings. Being able to
photograph the wolves in a stressfree
environment where they live
provides opportunities for great wolf
images. I have not personally visited
the Lakota Wolf Preserve, but having
seen photographs from there, I hope
to visit it in the near future.
As an aside, I have found that often
photographers can get more for their
money if they go to game preserves as
part of a workshop. Workshop leaders
are often able to negotiate access
to more animals and/or more time with particular animals than
individual photographers are able to get travelling on their own.
Most websites for preserves or game farms will list the dates and
names of workshops that will be offered there during the upcoming
year. Sometimes the preserves or game farms will also offer special
events for serious photographers, providing an appealing opportunity
with extra perks, again not available to individuals photographing
alone. Additionally, it is often more enjoyable to photograph
with a group of like-minded individuals. In addition to the camaraderie,
the opportunity to learn from
others in the group can add to the
enjoyment of the experience.
Successful wildlife photography
often is achieved by being in the
right place at the right time. Bird
photographers know that positioning
themselves in rookeries or
other similar birding environments
during the spring greatly increases
their chances of capturing those
award-winning images of a mother
feeding her chicks or a fledgling’s
first attempt at flight. The same
is true with other species. Some
species are harder to capture than
others. We don’t all have the luxury
of hiding out in the wild for months learning the habits and habitats
of the animals we hope to photograph. Photographing animals in
captivity can be a very viable option. Ethically, we cannot claim that
the animals were photographed in the wild, but the experience can
be fabulous and our photographs can be, as well.
Carolinas’ Nature Photographers Association • 25