On a chilly February morning, I packed my car with my photography gear, grabbed my coffee and set out for a planned day in the field. The location I was venturing out to was just short of three hours away, so I needed to leave early enough to make it to my location by the sunrise hour. As I drove slowly through Holly Springs in the darkness of a new day, I caught sight of a radiant, white silhouette permeating through a thick section of woods which bordered a charming and quaint neighborhood. I slowed my car to a stop, rolled down my foggy window and focused in on the remarkable sight before me, an albino deer.
Risk vs Reward
I knew how rare this moment was as according to NC Wildlife, the chance of spotting this type of deer is one in thirty thousand. After assessing the situation for a few minutes, I concluded that even with an available camera and the deer before me, I would stay in my car and avoid heading towards her to take a photo. I knew that to capture a clear picture of her, I would have needed to approach her on foot and enter the woods she was safely sheltered within. This type of encroachment surely would have risked pushing her and other deer out of the safety of the woods, and quite possibly towards a major state road located just one block from the herd’s location.
The role of a herd is critical to a thriving deer population. Deer rely on their herd for a sense of security, continuous socialization, and an umbrella of safety as they travel throughout their respective home ranges together. This herd, in particular, was even more fragile than usual because it was an all-female herd in the height of winter, which meant there was a high chance of a pregnant deer being part of this group. As much as I wanted to “get the shot,” the risks were just not worth it to me. I made a mental note of the albino deer’s location and promised myself I’d search for her again soon.
In my next two searches, I spotted her both times, and even then, the risks still outweighed the benefit of photographing her due to her location and distance to my car. It would have come down to chasing her from behind the wheel with my camera in hand and that action would not have been in her best interest. Driving a car towards wildlife in an attempt to photograph them can quickly turn into encroachment and add undue stress to the animal. The lessons of patience and ethics that I was learning in my wildlife photography were now magnified to me through the journey of finding the right situation to capture this rare and beautiful deer.
My Fundamentals of Wildlife Photography
Each time I step out into the field with my camera, I wholeheartedly understand I am entering the habitats of wildlife uninvited. The responsibility of respecting nature, wildlife and their homes rests solely on me and my actions while in their world. I am passionate about leaving habitats undisturbed and without a trace of my human presence. It is equally important to me to learn all I am able to about the wildlife I plan to photograph. When I have knowledge of an animal’s behavior, their habitats and even the challenges they and their species may face, I can educate others to recognize these facts and spark a conversation to the benefit of this animal and its species. In my experience, conversations lead to positive actions and change, and an animal’s conservation should be the foundation of every photo I take. With these leading principles, I feel I can professionally photograph the incredible wildlife I get to observe while still protecting their right to remain wild.
I bring with me these fundamental ideals alongside my camera as I move slowly through nature, while listening and looking for the slightest of changes. When I pick up on subtle movements in the field, I set a perimeter at a distance and begin to observe with my lens. Occasionally, these movements are just the wind or a falling branch. Other times it is the emergence of wildlife in motion. To witness the extraordinary inner workings of the natural world outside of mine is what inspires me to wake up early and venture out to do it all over and over again. And when the rarest of moments occur, like the one you are about to read, it sets a fire from within me to continue to pursue this passion of mine as a life-long career.
The Perfect Shot
From my past albino deer encounters, I now had a map of locations and times of day that I felt would give me the best chance to create a situation in which I could safely capture her with my lens. I decided I would ditch the car and set out on foot from my home in hopes of my vision coming to fruition. Throughout my experiences, I found the albino deer to be naturally elusive, shy and an early riser. I chose a clear-weathered summer morning, prepped my gear and left my house before twilight. I walked slowly through neighborhoods and small open fields before finally coming to an open plot next to an old, dilapidated home. I heard a rustling noise coming from the wooded area that hugged this small plot of land and immediately crouched down to get a better view of the forest floor. I saw the albino deer moving through the brush and edging closer to the treeline that led out into the open field. With my camera in hand, I gradually began to rise from my low position and watched her emerge out of the dark woods and into the grassy field in front of me.
As she turned towards me to acknowledge my presence, I was astonished by her calm demeanor. This wild animal, so unique, seemed completely unaware of her stunning and distinctive presence within this moment. Due to the dark lighting, I quickly adjusted my settings and snapped a handful of photos all while a tremendous excitement welled up from within. After I captured her photo, I held my camera down by my side to soak in and enjoy the few remaining moments of this gift in time. I gazed at the rarity of this beautiful albino deer with her pink nose, pale eyes and light hooves. I couldn’t think of a better place to photograph her contrasting color than the shadowy, wooded area where she stood.
After a few minutes of our time together, she slowly turned back and headed into the woods to reunite with her herd. I looked around and noticed the twilight hour had begun. In the hazy glow of this hour, I turned my camera to play-back mode and looked down at the image on display before me. I couldn’t help but smile and feel a deep sense of gratitude as I swiped through my handful of images. All the time, effort and patience were worth a shot in the dark I will never forget!
