Roadside Encounters

Small herd of elk by the Alaska Hwy

 a lone elk 

Peek-a-boo - can you see me?  (elk in hiding)

Our porcupines are giants

Moose foraging on willow branches

Boreal chickadee trying to make sense of my presence

Mule deer

Black bear just a few feet from the highway

Moon rise over Alaska

Driving on the Yukon highways can provide for some fabulous wildlife viewing opportunities.  Take last weekend for instance when a friend of mine and I decided to drive the Alaska Highway from Whitehorse to Haines Junction and return.  Along the way we were treated to some fleeting glimpses of black bears, moose, herds of elk, mule deer, porcupines galore and scores of migratory birds including numerous species of duck and raptors.

Photographing these critters was relatively straight forward as we had prepared our gear before hand.  Most importantly, our gear was located in the back seat ready to be used on a moment's notice.  Our lenses and sensors had been cleaned, the batteries fully charged, memory cards formatted, the telephoto lenses attached and tripods close at hand.  The cameras were set to aperture priority (that way the camera calculates the shutter speed) and the shutter release mode was switched to continuous high (so we could happily fire away hundreds of images in a matter of minutes).  Spare batteries and memory cards were stored in our pockets.

Approaching wildlife near or on the road must be treated with the utmost respect.  Drive up slowly while at the same time pay attention to the traffic behind and in front of you.  Do not walk up to these animals and snap away otherwise you may spook them into running into oncoming traffic or face the risk of being charged at - both very unfortunate and dangerous outcomes.  Keep in mind all animals are unpredictable.  

I find it best to park your vehicle at a considerable distance and observe from there.  If the animal feels safe it may approach closer to investigate you (thus affording you the opportunity to photograph them in a more natural setting).  A telephoto lens is perhaps the most suitable lens to use as it will allow the animal to go about its business without feeling threatened by your presence (the animal will appear much more relaxed in your image).

Don't forget to keep an eye open for landscape images too - the Yukon and surroundings offers some stunning shots of snowcapped mountains, crystal blue rivers and thick green forests.  

Drive slowly, keep an eye on the road and be alert and prepared at all times - you never know what surprises await you around the bend.  With camera gear prepared and stored within arms reach you too will be able to capture those unexpected moments on 'film'.

Safe driving and happy snapping!

PS - I'm curious to see some of your images - email me.