If you want to get close to animals and photograph them, it’s a good idea to show them the camera while they are eating. Animals associate anything close to them while they eat with good things, and i often stand by the feeder, or like today, put my camera right into the feeder.

Very few animals will take off at the sight of a camera while they are hungry and eating. I used to put my camera down next to the dog’s food bowls while they ate, so they would get used to it, and look into the lens, which most dogs do not like to do. Today, I leaned forward into the feeder and put my camera with a wide angle lens right into the hay.

Nobody stopped chomping for a second, they were at ease with me and my camera and I got a shot I liked of them eating. An unusual view. It takes care and thought to photograph animals and get close enough to capture their lives. I have worked hard to learn how to do it. I like this kind of shot.