The Story Behind the Image “Hello, Fox!”
Originally written by Nelli Savelieva for Viewbug Blog post March 12, 2025
Location
This photo was taken around Mew Lake in Algonquin Provincial Park in Ontario, Canada. In Canada, Algonguin is like Yellowstone Park in the USA. We stayed in the park for several days in December. After a big snowstorm closed major highways, the park had a few visitors and a lot of wildlife.
Time
We arrived early in the morning, and as soon as I got out of the car, I saw a pine marten. After the photo session with the pine marten, we hiked to the waterfall, and I changed my settings to a slow shutter speed and a 2-second delay timer. What happened next probably happens to many forgetful photographers. I saw a Canada Jay on a nearby tree, switched my shutter speed, but forgot to change the delay function.
The Canada Jay suddenly flew behind me, prompting me to turn around. And guess who was there? That’s right — a red fox! It sat quietly behind me. Excited, I started to take photos, not even realizing what was causing the slow camera response. Luckily for me, the fox sat still for some time, then stood up, gave a big stretch, and gracefully walked away.
Lighting
It was an overcast day with even light. I like to photograph on those days since they allow me to take photos throughout the whole day instead of just early mornings and evenings. Overcast days are like nature’s softbox — no harsh shadows, just gentle, even light that reveals details beautifully. It was perfect for capturing the rich textures of the fox's fur and the subtle tones in its surroundings.
Equipment
I used Canon R5 with 100-500 mm lens and no other equipment.
Inspiration
The park is well-known for its wildlife sightings, but despite all my visits, I had never seen a fox sitting so calmly and unbothered by human presence. Foxes are usually skittish, darting away or hiding the moment they sense people nearby. This rare encounter left me feeling incredibly grateful.
Editing
I did noise reduction, basic and colour adjustments in Adobe Camera Raw, then used Photoshop for selective sharpening.
Feedback
Always be prepared for changing situations while photographing. The best way to do this is by having custom setups on your camera — for example, one for fast-moving subjects, one for landscapes, and one for still subjects. I had custom setups on my camera, but in the excitement of the moment, I completely forgot about my settings. The lesson here? Stay calm, don’t let excitement take over, and trust your preparation.
Capturing Wildlife: The Story Behind the Image
Where did you take this photo?
This photo was taken in one of Ontario's Conservation areas, close to Lake Ontario.
What time of day?
Imagine it’s late afternoon, and a steady rain begins to fall. You're weary and hungry after hours of scouting three other spots with nothing promising to show for it. You think, "One last location, then we’ll head home." Turning the final corner, you spot a peculiar shape on a pine tree. Hopeful, you lift your camera—only to realize it’s just a cluster of pine cones. As you lower your camera with a sigh, you glance across the trail—and freeze. You can hardly believe your eyes. You’re frozen in place, heart pounding. Just two meters away, sitting openly and serenely, is the most breathtaking sight—a Barred Owl.
Is there anything worth sharing about lighting?
It was a rainy day, which created ideal conditions for photography. The overcast sky acted as a massive softbox, diffusing the sunlight and providing even illumination on the owl. The raindrops clinging to the branches added more interest and drama to the scene.
What equipment did you use? (Camera, lens, tripod, flash, other?)
This shot was taken handheld with a Canon R5 and a 100-500mm lens.
What inspired you to take this photo?
As a wildlife photographer, my days are a mix of exploring new trails to find animals and birds or staying home to process my shots. On that particular rainy day, a friend joined me for a hike. The highlight was spotting a Barred Owl so close to the trail and low to the ground—an unforgettable moment.
Did you do any post-processing?
I captured this photo using a high ISO of 8000, so I applied denoising in ACR, fine-tuned the white balance, exposure, and contrast, and added light sharpening. To bring out the intricate feather details, I used Nik Collection 7 Color Efex.
What equipment do you normally have in your bag?
I usually have two cameras in my bag: Canon R5 and R6. R5 attached to a 100-500mm lens which is my working horse. I love the lightness of this combination, it allows me to hike with the camera in my hands and react fast if the opportunity arises. The other camera goes with a 24-105mm F4 lens which is the perfect jack-of-all-trades lens.
Any advice for others trying to capture something similar?
Be patient and stay quiet as you explore the areas near your home—there’s more wildlife in urban settings than you might expect. Sunrise and sunset are ideal times to head out, as animals are most active and the lighting is magical. Cloudy days are also fantastic, offering soft, diffused light and the chance to shoot all day.
“Barred Owl in The Rain”
Originally written by Nelli Savelieva for Viewbug Blog post in December 2024.
Where did you take this photo?
This photo was taken in one of Ontario's Conservation areas, close to Lake Ontario.
What time of day?
Imagine it’s late afternoon, and a steady rain begins to fall. You're weary and hungry after hours of scouting three other spots with nothing promising to show for it. You think, "One last location, then we’ll head home." Turning the final corner, you spot a peculiar shape on a pine tree. Hopeful, you lift your camera—only to realize it’s just a cluster of pine cones. As you lower your camera with a sigh, you glance across the trail—and freeze. You can hardly believe your eyes. You’re frozen in place, heart pounding. Just two meters away, sitting openly and serenely, is the most breathtaking sight—a Barred Owl.
Is there anything worth sharing about lighting?
It was a rainy day, which created ideal conditions for photography. The overcast sky acted as a massive softbox, diffusing the sunlight and providing even illumination on the owl. The raindrops clinging to the branches added more interest and drama to the scene.
What equipment did you use? (Camera, lens, tripod, flash, other?)
This shot was taken handheld with a Canon R5 and a 100-500mm lens.
What inspired you to take this photo?
As a wildlife photographer, my days are a mix of exploring new trails to find animals and birds or staying home to process my shots. On that particular rainy day, a friend joined me for a hike. The highlight was spotting a Barred Owl so close to the trail and low to the ground—an unforgettable moment.
Did you do any post-processing?
I captured this photo using a high ISO of 8000, so I applied denoising in ACR, fine-tuned the white balance, exposure, and contrast, and added light sharpening. To bring out the intricate feather details, I used Nik Collection 7 Color Efex.
What equipment do you normally have in your bag?
I usually have two cameras in my bag: Canon R5 and R6. R5 attached to a 100-500mm lens which is my working horse. I love the lightness of this combination, it allows me to hike with the camera in my hands and react fast if the opportunity arises. The other camera goes with a 24-105mm F4 lens which is the perfect jack-of-all-trades lens.
Any advice for others trying to capture something similar?
Be patient and stay quiet as you explore the areas near your home—there’s more wildlife in urban settings than you might expect. Sunrise and sunset are ideal times to head out, as animals are most active and the lighting is magical. Cloudy days are also fantastic, offering soft, diffused light and the chance to shoot all day.