Not much happening up at Rocky Mountain National Park this weekend — just the way it goes sometimes — but other than an occasional elk or deer, I did come across a few creatures, including this golden-mantled ground squirrel. These ground squirrels look a lot like chipmunks, but they are much larger and don’t have stripes on their heads. This is the time of year that they are fattening up for hibernation and as you can see, this guy was quite the little pudge.
Hey Brian, I hand hold almost all of my wildlife photos (both of my long lenses are vibration reduction and with proper technique it’s amazing how well it works — I can get sharp results at 400mm down to 1/15th of a second — not always, but I get a good number of keepers). In the case of this squirrel, however, I was lying face down on the ground, so the ground was pretty much acting as the tripod. For landscape shots, I almost always use a tripod because I use smaller apertures and slower ISOs. As for Photoshop, yes, I use it, but 95% of the time, very minimal adjustments, including a tone curve for contrast and saturation, a bit of sharpening, some shadow and highlight adjustments when needed, etc. I also use Aperture, and for a majority of my photos, I don’t even need to send them to Photoshop. Aperture can do almost everything I need.
Ha! So true. No point asking though – I think we can all tell where the peanut butter went, and the cookies too, and that ice cream you were saving for later.
Sean – superb, yet again. The consistency you show to produce a picture of this quality every day is spectacular.
love him! I must say had you not told me this was a squirrel I would not have guessed it! I love looking at your posts everyday, even if I don’t always comment. Sometimes I just like to be and see the banter that has taken place, just like today.
Thanks All
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Hi Sean,
Was the Golden Mantled Ground Squirrel photo hand-held? Do you touch up a lot of photos in Photo-shop?
Regds, Brian
Hey Brian, I hand hold almost all of my wildlife photos (both of my long lenses are vibration reduction and with proper technique it’s amazing how well it works — I can get sharp results at 400mm down to 1/15th of a second — not always, but I get a good number of keepers). In the case of this squirrel, however, I was lying face down on the ground, so the ground was pretty much acting as the tripod. For landscape shots, I almost always use a tripod because I use smaller apertures and slower ISOs. As for Photoshop, yes, I use it, but 95% of the time, very minimal adjustments, including a tone curve for contrast and saturation, a bit of sharpening, some shadow and highlight adjustments when needed, etc. I also use Aperture, and for a majority of my photos, I don’t even need to send them to Photoshop. Aperture can do almost everything I need.
A fine specimen of his troupe presented as well as can be done. He does, though, look like you just asked him where the peanut butter jar went.
Ha! So true. No point asking though – I think we can all tell where the peanut butter went, and the cookies too, and that ice cream you were saving for later.
Sean – superb, yet again. The consistency you show to produce a picture of this quality every day is spectacular.
I want to see this little guy breakdance. Don’t know why.
As the director of the Post-it squirrel commercials, I’d like to cast this fine specimen in the next spot(s). He’s quite the poser.
Ah, the Post-It squirrels, yes, I remember that one. I assure you, this guy wasn’t afraid to be in front of a camera.
Do you have a name for all the little amminals,tha tak pic. of,? I have become free lance photager lately,thanks mike
Hey Michael, not a personal name, simply their human given common and Latin/Scientific names. Those are difficult enough to remember.
“Just a squirrel trying to get a nut!!!”
love him! I must say had you not told me this was a squirrel I would not have guessed it! I love looking at your posts everyday, even if I don’t always comment. Sometimes I just like to be and see the banter that has taken place, just like today.
Thanks All
What a cute, chubby little fellow.