After considerable self analysis, I have determined that I am neither scary nor obsessed with popularity. Both theories get put to the test regularly while photographing skittish animals.

Wildlife may tolerate my presence from a distance but only until I’m almost close enough to take a photo. Then the place clears out like I am a skunk that raised its tail. The longer my lens, the sooner this happens. I have no idea how they do all that math so quickly!

I could dress up in camouflage and hide but since I have also determined I am a confident person, I choose regular rejection instead.

I have learned to not take this personally. I just delete many photos of blurry animal butts rapidly leaving the scene. I will confess it gets tiresome watching wildlife flee as if their life depended on it. You would think I was scary!

But every once in awhile, a wild creature will be curious about what I am doing. That’s what happened with these two deer last week. As I walked around to find an unobstructed view, they turned to watch me and struck this interesting pose. In fading light, I had to quickly fire away before the young deer quickly lost interest and turned away.

Now it’s one thing to be wrongly perceived as a threat – it’s quite another to be considered boring. I wonder if there’s a support group for that?