Saturday, February 16, 2013

Saturday Snapshot: The Infamous Butt Shot


While you're doing a little surfing this weekend, make sure you check in at Alyce's excellent blog, At Home With Books, for the list of everyone who's participating in this week's Saturday Snapshot. The rules are easy-peasy, so I hope you'll join us!

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Anyone who's ever tried to photograph any sort of critter knows that one of the most common shots you'll come home with is... drum roll, please... the infamous butt shot. 


A determined Vermilion Flycatcher

Some critters-- like the Vermilion Flycatcher you see above-- seem determined to keep their backs to your camera. (Kinda like I am whenever I see someone holding a camera and looking at me with a speculative gleam in their eye.) I'd hate to tell you how many butt shots I've gotten of a vermilion flycatcher. I don't feel like getting depressed.


"She did NOT just take a picture of my butt! Did she?"

Then there are times when you have the perfect shot lined up-- like I did with this little ground squirrel-- when something spooks it just as you click the shutter. If you're lucky, you'll have a butt shot instead of a photo of a few rocks.


For cryin' out loud... come up for some air, would ya?

I am now firmly convinced that one of the reasons why I went prematurely grey is because of all the time I spent stock-still waiting for water birds to get their heads up out of the water. 

But patience is a very good thing to have, and it is rewarded. Remember how depressed I was over never getting a head shot of a vermilion flycatcher? Well, one day when Denis and I were wandering along the banks of the Hassayampa River outside Wickenburg, a little bit of magic happened....


I finally got to see a face!

And whenever that little bit of magic happens, all those butt shots, all those cricks in my neck and stiff knees, all this white hair on my head... it's all worth while. Set me out in the wide open spaces with my camera and critters to watch, and I'm in heaven. 

Even if the only photos I get are butt shots.


29 comments:

  1. Cathy - Ah, yes, the butt shot. Never fails... Well you did get a great shot of the vermilion flycatcher though - lovely!

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  2. Why is it that we can't get folks to pose nicely for us?

    Here’s my Saturday Snapshot. Stop by, if you can, and share your thoughts.

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    1. Yeah... if they'd pose nicely, the entire experience would be over in no time flat! ;-)

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  3. You are patient but it was definitely worth it. That vermilion flycatcher is gorgeous!

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    1. Yes, he is a gorgeous little devil. I think you can see why I wanted a photo of its face! LOL

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  4. I guess you have to see a few butts along the way! lol

    And patience did pay off. Thanks for sharing. Here's MY SATURDAY SNAPSHOT POST

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    1. Perhaps I should've saved all those butt shots over the years. Just think of the collage I could've made!

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  5. I agree. One has to wait a while for a frontal photo. The red is vivid.

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    1. It certainly shows up on a winter's day in the desert!

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  6. Worth waiting to capture - stunning shots - such a vibrant red.

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  7. LOL! Don't think I've ever seen a butt shot of a bird before!!
    Here's My SS

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    1. That's because all photographers have a pact never to show them! LOL

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  8. Such a lovely shot of that bird when you finally got a face shot. I wish we had such colorful birds up here in Seattle. We have nothing that stunning.
    *smiles*

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    1. The next time I'm up there, I'm going to have to scout around. Seems to me I remember a brightly colored little fellow in the Hoh Rain Forest, but that's more than a few miles from Seattle!

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  9. Your patience was well-rewarded! The butt shot gives no idea just how much of the flycatcher is actually vermilion - stunning!

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    1. Yes, those little devils are very good at hiding all that brilliant red!

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  10. The flycatcher is magnificent - so colourful. Most of our British birds are much duller. My Snapshot is at http://goo.gl/pAiQm

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    1. Now British birds are the ones I have the hardest time photographing. They are so shy! However, I'll be trying my American patience against them again soon!

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  11. You make a butt shot seem so artistic♫ Thanks for sharing...Here;s my SS: http://lore-eleven.blogspot.com/2013/02/winsome-weeds.html

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    1. As long as they're not of MY butt, of course. Heaven forbid!!!

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  13. Oh my gosh! If you were TRYING for the butt shot you'd never be able to get one ... these are really fun and funny! Thanks for the chuckles!

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    1. I'm glad you enjoyed them, Susan-- and I think you're right... if I were trying to get a butt shot of something, all they'd show me would be their faces!

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  14. Cute post. That vermilion flycatcher was worth the wait. Gorgeous. Here's Mine

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