Richard Kowalski
02-14-2008, 03:40 PM
I curious as to other's thoughts on photographing dead creatures.
This morning I posted "Love **was** in the air" in Out of the Box ( http://www.birdphotographers.net/forums/showthread.php?p=33185#post33185 ) . It is an image of two Anna's Hummingbirds that were very much alive and at least the male was feeling at the top of his game... A few people expressed concern that the birds were dead. I can assure you they definitely were NOT!
Anyway, this got me thinking. As with anyone that spends any time out in nature, I see my share of dead birds and animals. I often make a few images if I can find a way to show the creature in an interesting, nobel or yes, even in an attractive manner. While at the Bosque Del Apache in January, the nights were getting down to 10F and there were plenty of dead Snow Geese along with a few cranes. I did make a number of images. On my recent trip to Buenos Aires NWR, we came across a bird carcass that had blown up into a thorny bush. It was just hanging there, blowing in the wind. I made a handful of images and moved on.
Now please don't misunderstand me and think I have a morbid curiosity about death because I don't. Death is a fact of life and is all too common with wildlife. I know how far removed people are today from death and many find the thought of death, much less images of it, highly disturbing.
I'm wondering if this activity is uncommon and am interested in other's opinions about posting images like these here.
Thank you for your *thoughtful & well considered* input.
This morning I posted "Love **was** in the air" in Out of the Box ( http://www.birdphotographers.net/forums/showthread.php?p=33185#post33185 ) . It is an image of two Anna's Hummingbirds that were very much alive and at least the male was feeling at the top of his game... A few people expressed concern that the birds were dead. I can assure you they definitely were NOT!
Anyway, this got me thinking. As with anyone that spends any time out in nature, I see my share of dead birds and animals. I often make a few images if I can find a way to show the creature in an interesting, nobel or yes, even in an attractive manner. While at the Bosque Del Apache in January, the nights were getting down to 10F and there were plenty of dead Snow Geese along with a few cranes. I did make a number of images. On my recent trip to Buenos Aires NWR, we came across a bird carcass that had blown up into a thorny bush. It was just hanging there, blowing in the wind. I made a handful of images and moved on.
Now please don't misunderstand me and think I have a morbid curiosity about death because I don't. Death is a fact of life and is all too common with wildlife. I know how far removed people are today from death and many find the thought of death, much less images of it, highly disturbing.
I'm wondering if this activity is uncommon and am interested in other's opinions about posting images like these here.
Thank you for your *thoughtful & well considered* input.