Visit from coyote while shooting night HDR

[tameigh]

At least I think it was a coyote. My dog ran up to him barking, and he didn't give any ground, and he was about the same size, my dog is a Labrador. He then trotted off towards the middle of the lake. There are also coyote wolf crosses which are common around here, so close to the Canadian border, and by the size of it, it could have been one of them.

This shot was hand held for 2.5 seconds, and I had autofocus off because I was shooting landscapes with a tripod, but had taken the camera off when I saw this guy. I wish I had kept it on the tripod, or maybe thought to enable the flash... Oh well. Next time maybe I will go out without the dog.

[Donald]

Yep, I think the lesson from that one, Tim, is that you can't shoot 2.5 second images when hand-holding.

[tameigh]

True dat.

I think the lesson is to be prepared for anything, because if I had kept my head, I could have gotten a really nice shot.

[Katy Noelle]

Hi, Tim! In the '20s, Tom's Grandfather had been helping cut ice, at night, in January on Lake Champlain. He tells the story of looking up and seeing the wolves running - in a line - in the full moon - down the lake - coming from Canada. Now, THERE's a picture!

Those hybrid coyotes have been a scary thing in the meadow behind our house. I hate waking up to their howls! I'm sure you've heard it before - shivers!

[tameigh]

Katy this was a beautiful scene to witness, and yes, I do hear them at night and they can be something. This episode, comic though it is, made me realize a lot about photography. Here is another one I got, there were actually two of them, but in all the motion, they became four.



A) Capture is the most important thing. In Mary Poppin's words, "well begun is half done."
B) You need to learn capture to where it is instinctive, so that when an opportunity comes, you don't think, you do.
C) I need a tripod that can point and lock quickly if I ever want to shoot wildlife. If my tripod had been easier to point and lock, the camera never would have come off of it.
D) When you are out shooting in -2 F temps, you need to dress warm enough to allow yourself to be patient.
E) Don't take the dog along unless it is to practice shooting him by moonlight.
F) There are coy wolves on the lake, and you can get a picture on a moonlit night if you are patient and prepared. I have another pic I took[without wolf, but of the snowy scene] that is now in PP to prove that it is possible.
G) I need to take a class to learn capture or undertake projects myself to learn specific skills until they are second nature, even though PP is a great way to spend time.
F) It sucks not being ready when a great opportunity comes along.

[Shadowman]

At least I think it was a coyote. My dog ran up to him barking, and he didn't give any ground, and he was about the same size, my dog is a Labrador. He then trotted off towards the middle of the lake. There are also coyote wolf crosses which are common around here, so close to the Canadian border, and by the size of it, it could have been one of them.

This shot was hand held for 2.5 seconds, and I had autofocus off because I was shooting landscapes with a tripod, but had taken the camera off when I saw this guy. I wish I had kept it on the tripod, or maybe thought to enable the flash... Oh well. Next time maybe I will go out without the dog.

I don't if know your dog is male but I believe coyote's and wolves will use a female to lure a domestic male dog away to attack for food.

[Szczur]

F) It sucks not being ready when a great opportunity comes along.

Oh yeah, you got that right. The number of times I've pressed the shutter release in desperation or even not been fast enough to press it at all is just silly.