Last Frame: Thief Surrenders

Living close to nature in the country affords one the opportunity to observe the local wildlife from a personal vantage point. Linn Smith returned home one day to find a cute raccoon trying to invade the contents of her garbage can, despite the top being strapped on tightly.

“I quickly grabbed my camera to record the thief in action,” Smith recalls. “The raccoon proceeded to put on a performance as if admitting its guilt. I was able to capture a series of photos where the raccoon was playing on my emotions to show its contrite manner. Hands were raised up in a plea of mercy for its crime. This one image, in particular, seemed to display the raccoon’s original cry for compassion and forgiveness. The raccoon truly was innocent and exonerated. The real perpetrators of this mishap can be traced back to us for leaving enticing goods accessible for clever thieves. Needless to say, our cans were never left outside again without taking extra precautionary measures.”

Canon EOS 5D Mark II, Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM. Exposure: 1/2000 sec., ƒ/8.0, ISO 800.

See more of Linn Smith’s photography at 500px.com/linnsmith.