Anvil Loc: Loveland, CO

I've spent a lot of time, over the past six years, hiking and photographing one, particular regional park. I hike others, but this one is so close, and the terrain is so interesting that I tend to concentrate on this park. I'm always trying to find wildlife, and I'm often successful, but I can also go weeks, or even a couple of months, without seeing anything.

Although I've encountered foxes in many places, until a couple of days ago, I had never seen one in this park. Well, I thought I saw one, once, but the critter zipped in front of me, so quickly, through the tall, dry grass, that I was unable to make a confirmed sighting. An unconfirmed sighting is not a sighting, at all. But, a couple of days ago, I finally collected my first fox, in that park. (And not a moment too soon. At the end of November, we are moving out of state.)

There was something a little different about that day. Normally, I wear a backpack, with my camera/big lens situated on my backpack shoulder strap. I screwed up, that day, and did not have the hub mounted to the camera. That camera with the big lens is too heavy to wear around my neck, while climbing hills, so I had to carry it in my pack. The problem is that, when I meet up with wildlife, I have to get that camera ready, quickly, or I miss the opportunity. It takes some soothing, critter whispering to get the animal to stay put while I extract my camera.

Not too long into the hike, I encountered a gray fox. It was about ten yards off the trail, looking right at me. I did my level best critter whispering, to calm the little guy while I pulled out my camera. Unexpectedly, it worked! The fox stayed put while I took several shots. I was even able to move around, and change angles. That is when I started to suspect that my critter whispering, legendary though it may be, was not the only reason the fox was staying put. I suspected it might be injured. I moved ever so slightly closer, to see if I could get the fox to move. It did move, and, sure enough, it was favoring its left, hind leg.

The fox could still move, though, and if it were really afraid, it could easily have taken off into the brush. It didn't run away. I stuck around, and posed. The fox seemed to be mostly at ease with my presence. It actually let me get close enough to allow me to compress my 100-400mm lens back to about 250mm, to get the entire animal in the frame.

Of course, I always like to get the full animal in frame, but when I can get this close to my subject, I also like to get a head shot. The fox obliged me.

There actually was an interesting photographic challenge, in this episode. The fox was side lit. The sun was pretty strong on my left. Of course, that meant that the right side of the fox's face was going to be darker. That wasn't the real challenge, though. The real challenge was what the bright side lighting was doing to the fox's body fur, on my left side. The gray and white fur was so illuminated that it actually appeared as though a very unnatural halo was emanating from the fox. Even with a raw file, completely untouched, the fox appeared to have been inserted into the photograph by a particularly inept Photoshop newbie. That is why I moved around, to get a better angle. (I tossed those "halo" shots. They just didn't look natural, though they were.)

So, here's my little, injured friend.

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Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

A beauty, and sad to hear of its injury. Your storytelling is wonderful, Jim. I am right there with you!

Anvil Loc: Loveland, CO

Thanks, Linda.

Speaking of story telling... Some friends and I were discussing the concept of story telling in still photography. Does a photo have to tell a story for it to be considered good? I suppose it depends upon one's definition of "story", in the context of photography. I'm not really sure that any of my photographs tell a story, because the photographs are so personal. That's probably why I include the story, along with the photo.

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

I blame St3v3M as the one who converted me to using "story" when describing a photo. I pestered him to explain to me how that could be for every image, and I finally got his point.

I use "story" to mean whatever is within the frame that you captured at that moment in time and how you chose to do that. Storytelling I'd use a little differently, and maybe more often with a series, though not necessarily. Like "what is art," I know it when I see it - ha!

In this topic my appreciation is, admittedly, more for the words than the images. That is because the fox is a fairly common animal and these photos are documentary.

But, FYC forum is not about critique in any strict sense of the term, and as an animal and nature lover, I appreciate your sharing your success stories very much!

Uuglypher Loc: South Dakota (East River)

Hi, Anvil,
Just a caution to consider when encountering “possibly injured and therefore unusually docile wild mammals”

Unusual docility, as well as a variety of clinical signs that can suggest the result of physical injuries (local lameness, imbalance, Limb paralysis, etc.) should raise the warning flag that the animal may be showing signs of advanced clininical rabies infection. Under no circumstances should such an animal be approached or handled by anyone inexperienced with handling potentially rabid animals. The commonly held conception of an “obviously rabid animal” as one that is in an uncontroll@ble, hyperactive, furious rage (so-called “furious rabies” is only rarely observed. What you observed with this gray fox is more typical of an advancing case of rabies virus infection, and, if due t9 rabies virus, the animal so-affected has likely been shedding rabies virus in its saliva for a week or more.

When such an animal is observed, it should be reported A.S.A.P. to your State Fisn and Game and Wildlife authorities.

Could such signs be, as you considered, the result of an injury? Possibly, but most physically injured animals do not suddenly become docile in the presence of humans; they are typically still fearful and trying to escape from human presence.
I offer these observations as one with more than a little professional experience with wildlife rabies.

Best regards,

David Graham, D.V.M., Ph.D., Dipl. Am.Coll. Vet. Pathologists, Retired (after a career in diagnosis, research - including specifically on rabies- and teaching wildlife diseases

Anvil Loc: Loveland, CO

I see. I think I am predisposed to use the term "story telling" the same way.

I often create stories around my photos, but it is family and friends who get the full on benefit (such as it is) of those stories. Anvil, himself, is the product of those fairy tales. There are many other characters in those tales, some based on real people. One, real person who appears quite frequently in those tales is a long time friend and hiking partner, Pat. But, just like Kenny, in South Park, I usually kill Pat off in each episode, only to have him brought back to life by my friends, the Wiccans, who dwell in the recesses of the previously mentioned regional park.

Strangely enough, even my immediate family occasionally gets fooled by my fairy tales. I once told of my friend being power-washed by a skunk -- all because we encountered a skunk, on a hike, and I got some photos. I needed a story to go with the photos, so Pat got befouled. The Wiccans cleaned him up, but we had to bury all his clothes, and he had to hang on to the roof of the car, for the ride back. Enough folks got fooled by that tale, thinking that Pat really did get dosed, that I had to remind my readers that, while normal fairy tales begin with "Once upon a time", my fairy tales begin with "Oh, my friends". You'd think that, after 60-some years, they'd figure it out.

Anvil Loc: Loveland, CO

Thanks for the words of caution. Under no circumstances would I ever get close enough to a wild animal to have physical contact. I carry a long lens for a reason. My claims of "critter whispering" are pure whimsy. I am under no delusions that I have any mystical connection with these critters. It just makes for a good story.

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

LOVE it!!

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

And now I'm thinking you intended for your title to be Fox Tales, not Tails

gwr Loc: South Dartmouth, Ma.

Terrific shots. What a beauty! Gary

Anvil Loc: Loveland, CO

I am actually a bit surprised that I used "tails" instead of "tales". Perhaps, since I was writing about hiking, I was preoccupied with those little seed pods that get stuck in my boots, and attach themselves to my jeans. Yep, that's it. I'm going with that.

Anvil Loc: Loveland, CO

Thanks!

ebrunner Loc: New Jersey Shore

Very nice shots all the more interesting because of the story. I can only hope that the fellow recovered. must be tough to fend for yourself when you are injured.
Erich

Anvil Loc: Loveland, CO

Thanks, much! I, too, hope the fox is not rabid, and recovers. Eventually, The fox did run off, and I didn’t see it, again. Who knows?

It is always fun to come across an animal in the wild. It’s a fantasy of mine to take a wildlife shot good enough to appear in Nat Geo, but I’d probably have as good a chance at fulfilling a couple of other wild fantasies — winning the US Open by ten strokes, and opening for Led Zeppelin at MSG. (If one is going to daydream, make it count!)

fergmark Loc: norwalk connecticut

I enjoy your story. One of the special experiences that are few and far between.