I’ve revised and updated my 2008 photo essay Whitetail In Spring – in pdf form.
Added note: I finally got some shots of the perpetrators available in this post only a year late as in 2009.
It is also available online at Scribd – for casual viewing this online version is recommended.
Martin Doonan was kind enough to give me a critique that I used during the update.
The originals are still available below.
My deer adventures posts have been compiled into a single coherent photo essay available here from Issuu.
I finally got it up loaded. I live in the country and have a radio link that provides internet connectivity, lately it hasn’t been working so well especially on upload (I think it has something to do with the leaves just starting to come out and interfering with the signal). After several attempts here it is in PDF form, it has more resolution than the Issuu version. It’s designed as a book To get the two pages at the same time in your PDF reader select View/Page Layout/Facing, on the other hand if you stay with single page the photos are bigger.
I was a bit of a late starter on SoFoBoMo. At first I did not intend to participate. The kick off time matched the best time for me to photograph the Whitetail deer as they gather around my house during spring. From past experience with the deer I knew it was going to take longer than a month, so I was just going to go my own way and let the deer lead.
Things started going crazy with the deer, my stomach couldn’t take it and I had to quit early on April 27.
This left just a couple of days to put together a book from the masses of photos I had taken and still make the SoBoMoFo deadline. I downloaded “Scribus” and rushed like mad just squeezing in before the deadline. Of course the rush meant that I had some obvious errors in the book. Paul Butzi was good enough to let me update the link to my book with a version where most of the errors have been removed, but I notice that it’s still not error free. Interestingly enough most people have viewed the version with all the errors and they’re still clicking on it, though where they’re getting the link is beyond me.
I’m a little worried that the subject matter might be a little over the top for some people. I’ve tried to tone it down, trying to depict an ominous presence rather than graphic detail.
You can also go through a blow by blow account through my blog posts all collected conveniently here.
I’d appreciate any feedback anyone might care to give.
A Yearling and it’s mother, still affectionate.
My sofobomo 2009 edition was too late to make it onto the official site, it is about chicks. Clicking the photo takes you to a download page, where you can download the PDF document and view as a slide show.
Chick Book
I casually walked in, saw cute deer, and was suddenly jarred into reality by your book, Bob. Stunning, powerful photo essay — and a real page-turner. You did a great job. Congratulations on your SoFoBoMo finish!
The interesting piece of trivia from my perspective is that my totem is the wolf. I’m very much a wolf person, so on one level the photos were not too disturbing. But you did a fine job putting emotion and drama into your images.
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BobW (Amy, I sure appreciate your comments, I wasn’t sure how those pictures would go down. I was in a real hurry to get that essay completed on time. I tried to remove any reference to wolves, did I leave one in or did you draw your own conclusions. Myself, I’m not 100% sure it was wolves but I can’t imagine anything else being so thorough???)
Nice photos. They look great. Wolves are very interesting creatures and a lot of their behavior is hard to explain. (despite what you read) People tend to fear them for no real reason, as there has been no real unprovoked attack by healthy wolves on humans. Most of the attacks on humans have been by lone wolves that were probably starving and desperate.
I could not tell if those were wolf kills or not. Front what it was, it was not a large pack. probably 2 – 4 animals. Larger packs will consume the entire animal bone all.
anyways, thanks for the link. Maybe I will have make another post about wolves on my World is Wild site.
If you are interested here is the link to the old one: http://worldiswild.wordpress.com/2008/01/27/wolf-logic/
Very nice photos.
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BobW (Thanks Helen, I’m working on another which I hope will be better, should be out soon. Did you take a crack at SoFoBoMo?)
hi bob,
wow. not always easy to look at, but beautifully done. it is a difficult task to show that dichotomy of nature, especially in an artful way.
love the sofomobo idea too. got me thinking of doing one myself.
stay wild,
heather
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BobW (Heather, many thanks on your encouragement and good shooting on your SoFoBoMo, I’ve also decided to do another one, I really don’t like that page layout stuff.)
I was drawn into your book for the sheer beauty of these animals. Reality set in quickly via your writing and images. Hard to look at but your compelling story made me want to continue on. You showed us the gentleness of nature as well as the reality of surviving for both the prey and predator. Very moving and very powerful! Thank you.
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BobW (Diane, Many thanks for the encouragement and inspiration)