Up close and personal with nature

[Ta-graphy]

Just some shots of animals over the months

Heres a question for you guys
Q: When it comes to wild animals, how close do you try to get?
My answer: as close as I possibly can, if too close...zoom out haha








this picture is funny cuz it looks like that rock crab is flipping me off for picking him up and taking a picture of him, but overall a pretty bad picture haha

I'll post more if i can find my old photos

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[Overread]

*is very very jealous of that first shot*

The first three really do stand out - the ultra close and low angle buckshot (even though it looks like a good blasting of oncamera flash it still works well); then we have that cute squirrel and though sadly the focus and depth of field could be better you've captured a neat sight and also got elements such as the tongue showing - something that you hardly ever see with such animals in most photography. Then finally there is that colourfull crab (I think its a crab?)

Neat shots and it would be great to hear the stories behind a few of them

[cirekoy]

The first two are definitely my favorite

I agree with you completely, get as close as you can safely get. I'd add that you want it to be safe for both you and the animal...some critters might be rare/sensitive where you wouldn't want to get too close to disturb them? I'm not a wildlife expert, so I don't really know

Great pics!

[bazooka]

I actually lol'd at the squirrel, great capture.

[Ta-graphy]

Deer Story: My friend drove me to yosemite to see the snow for the first time, i was more interested in finding some quality wildlife besides squirrels
I was taking picture of the state's famed flower, it was in healthy shape so i decided to snap a couple pictures of it, during the shoots i feel heavy breathing on the back of my neck, i thought it was a bear im a goner for sure haha turns out to be this fellow , apparently he wanted the flower/plant i was taking pictures of, i got the picture of him right after he gobbled it up. I got scolded by the park ranger, the park ranger wasnt so smart since she blasted a bullhorn startling the deer, luckily it didnt ram me, it just ran away instead. It was so cool though! i was like face to face with a deer about 5inches apart.

Squirrel Story: I went to a park/lake near my house, i heard it stopped flooding so i went to go check it out. Near the picnic area there were multiple piles of rocks, and what came out are little families of squirrels, they were running about, i just sat in the middle trying to look as small as i can so the squirrels didnt feel so threatened, they came close and i let one run up on my shoulder (just for the experience) he smelled bad but w/e haha i took a picture of the other squirrel right below me, used a flash so it got a little suprised haha

i got to go to class, i'll upload more photos and stories when i get back

and yes its a crab,hermit crab i found it on a tide pool in point lobos.

[Invisodude]

those are great! Dang man your close enough to smell deer farts LOL

That squirrel rocks! I see a caption like "AHHH!!! human!!!!!"

[Ta-graphy]

heres some more!

some upclose and some not so upclose