animals

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Infrared photography

I began using an infrared camera to photograph landscapes. This is Balanced Rock in Arches National Park, Utah. I like the way the treatment lightens vegetation, sometimes giving an otherworldly look, which I find especially appropriate for cemeteries. I use a black and white conversion, for good contrast.

Then I began experimenting with animals, and liked what I got. This is a male mule deer in South Dakota. The grasses take on a delicate backdrop against which the animal stands out clearly.

This chipmunk, caught in mid-leap, again stands out against a pale and blurred background.

This next images was not intended to be in infrared. On that day, at Sheep Lake, in Rocky Mountain National Park, I saw a moose feeding, and needed my telephoto lens. The only camera I had with me at the time was the infrared converted OM Systems OM1, so I used it. Again, I liked what I got, the dark animal standing out against the light-coloured vegetation, and a tiny duck on the opposite edge of the frame.

I will experiment some more. I do love trees as well as animals, and using a lens baby with the infrared camera gave me this:

The tree is in Longmont, Colorado, and area that before European settlement would have been extensive prairie devoid of trees.

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More on Prairie Dogs

Prairie dogs seemed extra wary in the campground at Santa Rosa Lake State Park in New Mexico. It was perhaps obvious why they were nervous when I spotted a pair of burrowing owls flying around the colony. Burrowing owls are very distinctive, with their small stature and long legs. Like prairie dogs, they inhabit generally flat, dry areas with only low vegetation. They nest and roost in burrows, often frequenting those excavated by prairie dogs. These small animals also serve as prey.

Unlike other owls, burrowing owls are often out during the day, although they tend to hunt mostly at dawn and dusk. I was out fairly early in the morning, having no idea that the prairie dog colony was here. Nor did I expect to see the owls. I’ve spent a lot of time scouring prairie dog colonies for these owls, often without success. This is the first time I’ve spotted the owls before seeing a prairie dog.

Safety in numbers ensures that prairie dogs survive, but they need to be vigilant. The least cautious individuals will end up as a meal for burrowing owls or coyotes.