Photography

Photographing attack squirrels

50mm f/1.4 lens, 1/100, f/4, ISO 400.

Looks harmless doesn’t he? Ha! Once this rabbit-sized squirrel saw that I had an open bag of nuts in my hand, he made a beeline for me, scrambled up my legs (youch!), and dove in my pocket searching for them.

Then, upon finding the cornucopia of nuts (we are talking like, elite trail mix, the good stuff), he pouched 10 of them and scurried off to hide them. His hiding system consisted of digging a small hole, dropping the nut in, and covering it with a fallen leaf. Fortunately for me, he did eventually sit still for a few shots, as he figured out his next move. Sneaky Sneakerson!

Ol’ Nutters, as I called him, actually broke the skin on my fingers with his vicious claws, so if I start to froth at the mouth, secure me in some kind of secret underground lab with bullet proof glass. It could be for the sake of human kind. Beware.

Have you been attacked by a furry creature in the pursuit of a great photo? Do share!

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  • Kevbo
    November 14, 2008 at 12:56 AM

    He’s still plotting something evil.

  • Afif Tabish
    November 14, 2008 at 1:00 AM

    I can’t belive I am saying this but he is SOOO CUUUTTEEE (In this photo)(before he attacks you lol)..

    >_<

  • Afif Tabish
    November 14, 2008 at 1:04 AM

    believe**

    opppsyy.

  • Michael Marchment
    November 14, 2008 at 1:14 AM

    I agree… SOOOOOO CUTE!!
    Wish we had then in jolly old aus!

    But we had to put up with just-as visious possums that fall out of trees and into your pool and you think it’s either a rather rediculously large rat or just a silly cat!

    Points off cuteness for biting though!

  • Stephen Michael Kellat
    November 14, 2008 at 1:16 AM

    Hunh. Is it a vicious black squirrel that got a dye job?

  • Alex
    November 14, 2008 at 1:56 AM

    Something about his pose reminds me of Gollum from Lord of the rings, definitely got some evil plot going on in that head…

  • Nate
    November 14, 2008 at 5:33 AM

    In a Mr. Burns voice “Excellent…”

  • Tim
    November 14, 2008 at 6:45 AM

    …uhhh… hairy scary monster!

  • Roshan
    November 14, 2008 at 6:47 AM

    I hope u r ok. He looks like a nasty bugger.

  • Steve
    November 14, 2008 at 8:43 AM

    Oh, man! Great photo!! But, 50mm? You were way too close! I would have feared for my lives!! LOL
    Hope you at least got some first-aid!

  • Ryan
    November 14, 2008 at 2:49 PM

    Great minds think alike I guess, I posted this just hours before your post … http://ryanhellyer.net/squirrel/

  • Joao Vaz
    November 14, 2008 at 2:50 PM

    Damm… hope you’re ok… I’ve heard that those little buggers can be vicious…

    Next time use the 70-200 @ 200mm….

    I’ve photographed a couple of wild squirrels, but never got attacked by one…

    On the other hand… I’ve been bitten by spiders (several species, only 1 was poisonous and required treatment), rats (the “normal” fluffy ones like hamsters and the “wild” sewer rats, these last ones required a trip to the hospital and a couple of shots just to be on the safe side), dogs (domesticated and stray, the last ones requires medical treatment), cats (domesticated and stray, last ones required medical treatment as well), birds (domesticated, never got bitten by a wild bird), snakes (14 bites, only 1 left a small scar on my right leg, fortunately we don’t have poisonous snakes around here…) and several “exotic” animals…

    This is the down side of photographing for the humane society…

    P.S.: next week i’m gonna photograph 1 male and 1 female lynx at the National Center for Reproduction of the Iberian Lynx in Captivity. A couple of shots are from outside the cage… and then they’re inside the cage… wish me luck… If i never post a reply in here again, it’s probably because i got turned into Lynx Snack…

  • Danny Dang
    November 14, 2008 at 7:26 PM

    He doesn’t look to impressed

  • Missu
    November 15, 2008 at 1:57 PM

    I think he gave you his best Top Model pose :-)

  • Walt Ribeiro
    November 15, 2008 at 3:08 PM

    He definitely looks like he’s up to somethin fishy… or should I say squirrely :)

  • Clear
    November 16, 2008 at 7:33 AM

    Poor Lisa, “Les risques du métier ” comme on dit.

  • Avatars in Blog Comment Design | Vandelay Website Design
    November 19, 2008 at 9:05 AM

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  • steve garfield
    November 22, 2008 at 5:08 AM

    OMG OMG OMG

    Not cute.

    No squirell will ever be cute.

    I hate them.

    Death to squirells.

    Have you ever seen a white one?

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/stevegarfield/2705776099/

  • Avatars in Blog Comment Design
    November 23, 2008 at 6:45 PM

    […] Mostly Lisa […]

  • green-bean
    February 13, 2009 at 1:36 AM

    I was charged by a black swan while trying to photograph its young. It backed down when I stood up and it saw that I was waaayy bigger than it was. I don’t blame it, though. It was defending its babies.