Squirrel 7-19-2013

This curious gray squirrel stopped moving along the fence line just long enough for me to frame an intimate wildlife portrait. Getting this close without sending it scurrying up a nearby oak tree took a slow, deliberate approach and plenty of patience behind the lens.

Rendered in high-contrast black and white, the crop focuses tightly on the animal’s facial profile, long whiskers, and paws tucked neatly under its chin. Deep shadows emphasize the dense fur texture around the ears, while a clean catchlight gleams inside its dark eye. The smoothly blurred background keeps every bit of visual attention locked onto the sharp facial details.