Most of today was spent shooting in snow. I love the snow, especially because it adds a whole new dimension to our environmental images. If you haven't guessed, lots of our shooting situations were within 20 feet of the main highway through Jasper NP. It's kind of funny to think some of the best nature photography anywhere of Big Horn Sheep were shot within yards of one of Canada's major highways. While shooting in these situations isn't the best or photogenic all the time, it can be outstanding. These two were taken within moments of each other and tell entirely different tales. The top image shows the interaction between the cars/highway traffic and the animals. I've seen herds of dozens and dozens of sheep clustering on the road, licking the salt and blocking traffic. Eventually, they give way to the cars. Sometimes, truckers will travel through blaring their horns trying to drive the sheep out of the way. Personally, I think that's quite rude and cracks any association to a natural setting the situation may have had. If I wanted to hear people laying down on their horns, I could've stayed in Los Angeles.

The ewe below with her young looks quite comfortable on steep, rocky crags dozens of feet above the road. The little guy here seemed unphased at standing on tiny blocks of slippery rock inches away from sure death or serious injury... I'm being overly dramatic, sorry. Still, it's amazing to think these guys soon after being born are scrambling up and down the rocks as if they weren't there. The mother's only encouragement seems to be simply walking away from her child. The little guy obviously didn't like being left behind and promptly caught up after descending the near vertical cliff. Cool...

Cheers

Tom