Know Thyself

by Bill Silliker

Why is "know thyself" important? Would it help to know that the morning I "shot" this eagle it was 20 degrees below?

You might be asking, "How long did he wait?" While a better question might be, "Why?" the best question is, "How did he do it?" Before answering, let's consider the other keys to making great wildlife photographs.

The three keys to better wildlife photography are:
know your species,
know your equipment
and know yourself.
This column's focus -
pun intended -
is on the last element.

Those who want to photograph bald eagles in the lower 48 United States need to do so with caution. State and federal laws carry severe penalties for anyone who harms or harasses one, including by too close an approach.

Past human activities, including the liberal spraying of DDT, the destruction of nesting and foraging habitats and the outright killing of these majestic birds caused their numbers to plummet. Without protection for the eagle we might well have had to change the bird on the seal of the United States to the wild turkey. This is what Benjamin Franklin wanted to begin with.

Since it's against the law in my home state to approach close enough to an eagle nest site for satisfactory photographs, I decided to look for feeding eagles. Reading told me that bald eagles feed more than 50% off of fish.

That gave me lots of territory to cover - too much for a productive camera hunt. But since over wintering bald eagles need open water to catch fish, I figured that the best time to hunt for this species might be during the coldest of the Maine winter.

Some of the best places to look for eagles during winter are downstream from dams that keep water open for limited stretches when it's really cold. Dams also chew up some fish for easy pickings for the birds. With less places to fish, the birds are concentrated.

I sought and found such a place not far from Bangor, Maine and obtained permission from a landowner to set up a blind alongside the   river. I had to be in the blind before dawn when the eagles came down river to perch in tall white pines across the way. During winter, wildlife needs to maintain energy reserves for survival. Wasted effort fleeing human encounters can mean death for a bald eagle, just as energy wasted running from a non-caring snow-mobiler can kill a white-tailed deer. Those who pursue wildlife photography in the winter should respect the survival needs of their subjects.

Those who would pursue winter wildlife images had also better know something about cameras and the cold:

* A Nicad battery in the camera or a separate battery pack in a warm pocket are essential to keeping a modern camera operating when it's below zero. 

* Film should be rewound slowly, preferably by hand, to prevent tearing the brittle stuff or the possibility that static electric sparks will imprint on the film.

* It's also vitally important not to breathe into camera when you change film or lenses!

* And never bring a frozen camera directly into a warm place. One trick is to seal the camera in a plastic bag that will keep damaging condensation moisture on the outside of bag. I also warm up my cameras very gradually after such a day.

And so there I'd wait in the pre-dawn, wondering in minus 20 degree cold why I was doing it! I sometimes had to wait for hours for the eagles to come close enough to get the shots I wanted. To do that, I had to find a way to sit still in all of that cold.

I learned how to dress: layers and layers of long underwear and wool and windbreakers; heavy wool mittens over fingertip-less gloves over thinner synthetic gloves, with chemical hand warmers as a backup; layers of socks in large enough insulated boots with chemical foot warmers.

The foot problem was the worst: because I sat on a stool, the rest of me was not in ground contact. A thick carpet remnant on that frozen ground worked wonders.

High energy food snacks, such as chocolate, peanuts and raisins, helped keep my metabolism going. And a bodily function relief jug, plus foregoing coffee, was essential. A small thrermos of hot chocolate was better.

Again, it all goes back to knowing yourself - how long will you sit in the cold to get a picture?

About Bill Silliker

Bill Silliker, Jr, outdoor photographer, enthusiast and writer, brings extensive experience in still and video photography to producing rare and difficult wildlife studies. He is currently a wildlife photography instructor for L.L.Bean, monthly columnist for The Maine Sportsman, and acts in advisory capacity for Maine's Dept. of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife. He hosts a weekly nature show shown on Maine Public Television. and has been co-chair, North American Nature Photography Association Ethics Committee for the past three years

Bill Silliker, Jr is author and photographer for two wildlife books, Moose: Giants of the Northern Forest and Maine Moose Watchers Guide. His wildlife studies can be seen in Just Loons, Willow Creek Press, and are published in Backpacker, Ducks Unlimited, National Wildlife and Outdoor Photographer. Bill has co-produced, been script writer and narrator for 4 wildlife videos.

Bill Silliker, Jr has contributed wildlife studies to the stock photography collection of Animals / Earth Scenes of New York. Bill invites you to view samples of his work, THE CAMERAHUNTER newsletter at: The Camera Hunter or e-mail him at editor@camerahunter.com for further information. Also, talk about Camera Hunting at Apogee's Forum. Go to Apogee's Forum and participate in a Bill's Camera Hunter discussion group.