During my recent visit to Denali National Park, I photographed this rare portrait of a Canadian lynx. I had been exhausted from driving all night from Wonder Lake back to the park entrance, when a lynx crossed the road in front of my van. At first, I was unsure whether it was real. However, as soon as I pulled up alongside of the lynx, it laid in the bushes next to the road and proceeded to watch me for what seemed like an eternity. I reached for my big lens on the floor behind me and quietly rolled down the window to grab whatever picture I could before it ran away. The lynx seemed unconcerned by my presence, so I got out of the car. In order to minimize the bushes in front of the lynx's face, I had to lay on my stomach on the road while balancing my camera equipment with one hand. I was less than 30' away from this beautiful creature the entire time. It was an amazing encounter that I will always cherish. I created this image with my Canon 7D and 500mm f4 IS lens. This image is a single-exposure which required minimal processing using Aperture 3 and Photoshop CS5.
Click here to purchase a print of this image.
Also, please listen to my latest photography chat with Tony Wu. We discuss our most recent adventures in Alaska and Papua New Guinea.
Way to go Jon, it is hard enough to see one of these animals but to have him stand there and stare back at you like this and then get the shot, that is awesome.
This photograph captured a moment that truly expresses a form of non-verbal communication between photographer and his subject. It allows the viewer an intimate glimpse of that experience. Quite engaging.
Thank you for your kind words, Bodean. I think that it was not only amazing that this lynx posed for me for so long, but also a testament to how much time I spend outdoors that I am able to take advantage of these amazing opportunities when they happen. Time & Patience + Opportunity = Exceptional Images! Good luck finding your own perfect pictures.
Thank you, Rebecca! And thank you for ordering a print! I’m looking forward to seeing how this prints for the 1st time. It should be exquisite.