Seeking advice for how to take night-time "ambush" flash photos of animals

[grafxman]

If you're still a bit keen on this idea of yours here's a suggestion for you. Buy or rent this camera:

Canon EOS 60Da DSLR Astrophotography Camera (Body Only) 6596B002

Then get 3 of these:

Polaroid Rechargeable IR Night Light LED Light Bar PLLED36 B&H

The lights are only good for about an hour with their rechargeable battery however I came across instructions on how to convert them so they can use 3 rechargeable AAA batteries. Then they'll last for about 4 hours or so and you can always add fresh batteries. Then hit the back roads in your car. I'm certain there are plenty of deer, raccoons, possums, coyotes and maybe even bobcats in Iowa. If the setup works like mine did with my old Sony DV camcorder you'll see eyes glowing like spotlights in the fields and woods wherever there are critters. From there it's just a matter of you getting close to them or them getting close to you.

 

[Tony S]

Off camera flash and set up in a spot where the wildlife funnels through a smaller space. If you have an area where they travel back and forth it would be easy to figure out their pattern to set up, just takes patience to wait long enough.

Or go out in my back yard and snag 'em when they are up in the cherry tree... but they spot you from that vantage point.

 

[grafxman]

Tony S makes a good point. The videos I referenced as well as many others I shot several years ago were all shot on my street. These days I hike 3 to 6 miles in the morning and I occasionally see raccoons and possums along the busy 6 lane street I hike on. My aunt lives in Marietta OH and she told me just about every night 3 deer walk down the sidewalk in front of her house. She just sits on the front porch and watches them. Marietta OH was the first settlement in the North West territory and every city lot has a house on it. There are just a few trees and brush on the hill sides. So these days wildlife is everywhere and it's usually nocturnal.