Close encounters

Modern telephoto zoom lenses bring wildlife closer to photographers than ever before -- much to our delight. But, sometimes the wildlife is SO VERY close that a high-powered zoom lens creates both a rare opportunity and a tough challenge to getting a great image. When conditions are right, I absolutely love the amazing detail that becomes visible when animals are particularly close-up. I encourage everyone to view this on a big screen and/or use the zoom options to get the most out of these images.

How this page works

Many of my favorite close encounters are organized below in a single row for each example. The same exact image is used twice on each row, but the second image is cropped and focuses on a specific portion of the picture to show a better view of the smallest details. The image action icons allow everyone to download, explore and open images in a variety of ways.

Frida

Date: Sep 12, 2023
Distance: 3 ft.
Focal Length: 100.0 mm

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Read MoreShow LessI love this image and the brief moment with this gorgeous Gray Jay. I was sitting at the edge of the forest in one of my favorite spots when I noticed a couple jays in the distance. Knowing that they can sometimes show curiosity towards people, I started taking pictures of her from a distance. She was at least 150 yards away and then flew about 50 or so feet away. A moment later she flew right at me and perched on the broken tree that was only a couple feet away. I really botched the shot in a couple ways, but thank goodness that my camera settings were reasonably decent in the very brief moment that I had before she was gone. The way her feathers wrap around her belly remind me of a particular self-portrait by Frida Kahlo. Her bold and fearless attitude were also reminiscent of the late artist. Despite the simplicity of this photo and the relatively common bird, this has become one of my favorite shots of the year. The intricate details are amazing to look at, in my opinion, in the large format print. Such a fun little encounter.
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Size: 3.9 MB (8192 x 5464)

Bighorn close-up

Date: Mar 27, 2024
Distance: 6 ft.
Focal Length: 300.0 mm

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Read MoreShow LessAt 300mm and roughly 6 feet away, this wasn't the closest or most zoomed-in image during this encounter, but I love it because it's among the sharpest that also shows nearly his entire face/horns. I never knew that bighorn sheep have two very different upper vs lower eyelashes... one being shorter light-brown and more obvious, with another group lower that is jet black and much longer. Super special close-up encounter. The big ram really seemed to accepted me, and when we approached to around 3 or 4 feet away, I lost my nerve and moved back. At that point, he also moved back away and my second camera battery lost power... so it was time to go.
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Size: 7.3 MB (8192 x 5464)

Mr Big

Date: Nov 19, 2022
Distance: 15 ft.
Focal Length: 238.0 mm

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Read MoreShow LessThere's so very much to share about this unforgettable encounter that I had in November 2022. In this photo, Mr. Big has just found a good spot in the snow to rest. He's about 15 feet away, and moments later he would fall asleep. I had been photographing him and four other moose from a distance for roughly 45 minutes before he decided to walk right towards me and lie down. At his closest, he was likely only 10 feet away. I love this image because it shows his glorious antlers, his powerful confidence and also his calm demeanor. The clarity in his eyes, the ice that's formed around his neck, the freshly broken snow around his body and all the small details in his antlers are all things I love to notice in the large format version of this image.
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Size: 3.3 MB (6720 x 4480)

Maverick

Date: May 15, 2023
Distance: 12 ft.
Focal Length: 363.0 mm

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Read MoreShow LessI first met Maverick an hour or so before this image was taken. Over the course of our three hours together that day, he would eventually walk to within about 5 feet from me and kneel down to graze at my feet. There are so many images from this and other encounters I've had with him, but I love this one in particular because of the extraordinary clarity of his eye, budding antler and damp fur. I was seated about 12 feet away from him, and his attitude toward me was one of acceptance, curiosity and perhaps companionship. I love his confident and comfortable attitude with me and I really hope to see him again and again over the years to come.
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Size: 5.2 MB (8192 x 5464)

Bold

Date: May 13, 2023
Distance: 4 ft.
Focal Length: 472.0 mm

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Read MoreShow LessOf all the pictures I took of this bold fox, I love this image in particular because of the pose and all of the sharp detail of and around her eye. At only about 4 feet away, she came racing up to me perhaps in hopes of food. She could smell the food I had in my pack and was willing to test just how close I'd let her approach. After realizing that I wasn't going to share, she went on about her hunt and let me follow along. I love filling up the frame with a subject like this, and it was such a rare treat to be in such close proximity to such a beautiful creature.
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Size: 5.3 MB (8192 x 5464)

Magpie reflections

Date: Dec 20, 2023
Distance: 8 ft.
Focal Length: 500.0 mm

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Read MoreShow LessConditions were perfect to get my own reflection in this magpie's eye. Amazingly, you can see my car -- and even that my parking lights are on. My door is cracked open and I'm barely visible leaning out to take the picture. To my surprise and delight, most of my sharp images from this encounter show a sharp reflection in the bird's eye.
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Size: 434 kB (3000 x 2001)

House sitter

Date: Feb 13, 2022
Distance: 10 ft.
Focal Length: 275.0 mm

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Read MoreShow LessThis will always be one of my favorite close encounters. I refer to this as "House sitter" because this impressive bull was relaxing at my house on this cold February morning. I love this image in particular because he is so relaxed, and looking directly into my camera. He was about 10 feet away, and this was one of many turning points for me with respect to very close moose encounters. In retrospect, I'm surprised that the images aren't sharper, but I was using an older camera/lens setup and the light wasn't exactly ideal. Hopefully he comes back again and gives me another chance! It felt like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to sit peacefully with a bull for over 2.5 hours in such close proximity. I will always cherish this moment.
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Size: 1582 kB (5878 x 3230)

Healing

Date: Jun 03, 2023
Distance: 20 ft.
Focal Length: 500.0 mm

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Read MoreShow LessWhat an incredible moment! In a remarkable surprise, this moose and a bull with her quickly approached me, but they had no idea that I was there. Typically, I'll make sure moose know I'm present and I let the situation organically work out. In this circumstance, it happened too fast for the moose to see me before they were very close. This female looked at me with focused intensity as she considered the potential threat that I posed. This image struck me even more after I noticed the fresh injury to her left ear. I love the clarity of her face, and the detail that can be seen in her healing ear.
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Size: 6.0 MB (8192 x 5464)

Aunt Robin

Date: Jun 21, 2023
Distance: 8 ft.
Focal Length: 300.0 mm

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Read MoreShow LessCommon as they may be, Robins are pretty amazing birds, in my view. They are amazing acrobats that effortlessly navigate through the trees, but they can be easy to overlook. When I snapped this photo in Rocky Mountain National Park, two people had just walked right by this robin without even noticing it perched on the sign. I was shocked that the bird didn't budge, and then when I saw the mouthful of very large ants, I had to snap a bunch of photos before it flew away. I love all the little details that are visible in large format. The feathers, the eye and the ants of course.
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Size: 5.8 MB (8192 x 5464)

Stellar's Jay

Date: Oct 31, 2023
Distance: 18 ft.
Focal Length: 500.0 mm

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Read MoreShow LessAs difficult as it may be to believe, I hiked over to Mills Lake in RMNP explicitly because I've had Stellar's Jays approach me there in the past. I had already hiked to Loch Vale hoping to see a pine marten, to no avail, and I figured it was worth checking out Mills, too. I stayed for a bit and talked with some visitors before deciding to turn around and go back. The moment I said good-bye to the visitors from New Jersey – this jay flew right up to the tree next to me. The light was great, and the images turned out really sharp despite the fact that I was shooting hand-held that day. The detail in feathers could hardly be any sharper, and I love the clarity of the slightly jagged beak.
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Size: 3.3 MB (8192 x 5464)

Red breasted nuthatch

Date: Dec 11, 2023
Distance: 9 ft.
Focal Length: 500.0 mm

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Read MoreShow LessTo date, I believe this is the sharpest, close-up that I've managed to get of a red-breasted nuthatch. You can barely make out the reflection of my brown house in the reflection of its eye.
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Size: 914 kB (3000 x 2001)

Pygmy nuthatch

Date: Nov 04, 2023
Distance: 12 ft.
Focal Length: 500.0 mm

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Read MoreShow LessI jokingly refer to these birds as little psychopaths because of their absolute obsession with pecking into my house, but over the years we've made peace with one another and they (mostly) respect the human boundaries I try to maintain. This tiny bird is one of the dozens that regularly frequents the ponderosa pines surrounding my home. Clear pictures of this fast moving bird are difficult, but this fun photo turned out nice, in my opinion, because the face and barbed tongue are so clear and well lit. The pygmy is pulling out a seed that had been stashed in the tree bark, and I was really surprised at the shape of their unusual tongue. Click on the "related" images link to see other photos of this little one.
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Size: 1978 kB (6000 x 4002)