valerie Posted May 31, 2002 Share Posted May 31, 2002 I know of a family of skunks living under a friend's outside stairs - any hints on best times to photograph (i.e., when do they leave their home to go out), photographing at night, etc.? I've never tried to photograph nighttime creatures before. p.s. there are some answers that come up in a search, but most relate to how not to get sprayed, or what to do if you are *grin* Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hal_bissinger Posted May 31, 2002 Share Posted May 31, 2002 Skunks are active at night and sleep during the day and are pretty timid. You will have to tailor your photo shoots to their schedule if they will let you get close enough with a flash, and that's something that would be pretty disturbing for them, not something you want to do when photographing wildlife. They would rather run than spray but if you see them turn their backside towards you and lift their tail don't say I didn't warn you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sam_mahmoud Posted May 31, 2002 Share Posted May 31, 2002 As another poster said, skunks come out at night andsleep in the daytime, making it tough to catch themcoming or going. I attempted this with an unattended camera on a tripod,an off-camera flash on a second tripod, and an infraredmotion sensor as a trigger. The pictures were nice and one or two even caught wildlife,though I didn't get any skunk photos. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg s Posted May 31, 2002 Share Posted May 31, 2002 Skunks will sometimes come out an hour or so before dark, so it's not a hard and fast rule that they are totally nocturnal. I've seen them in our neighborhood roaming around in July 1 1/2 hrs. before sunset. The trick is to know where to be while the light is still good. I've never noticed a 'pattern' of movement, but then I don't know whose yard they were getting their cat/dog food from (as was probably the case). The most interaction I've had with skunks was in the mountains of S. Cal. and once again I'd commonly see them in a meadow an hour before dark. One habit they have before they commence to spray is to stamp their front feet to show agitation. If you hear one stamping, you'll know that phase 2 may soon come into play if you don't back off! The ones I encountered in Cal. were not timid and would actually approach me and do the foot stomp thing to let me know to clear out of their territory, which I promptly did. Good luck! (and use a long lens!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stnoonan Posted May 31, 2002 Share Posted May 31, 2002 Valerie, <p>We have a regular skunk clientel, including a family (babies and all), that come to eat the seed under our bird feeders every evening. They typically arrive a bit before dusk and stay to around 10pm. I have managed photos of them both from a bilnd and an open door. Almost all the skunks that have visited were not particularly concerned about humans; just hope the coyotes and foxes don't show up while you are outside! <p>Sean <br><a href="http://stnphotography.com">www.stnphotography.com</a> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
valerie Posted May 31, 2002 Author Share Posted May 31, 2002 Thanks for the great information. I'm going to look into setting up a blind and trying to catch them an hour before dusk, Regards, Valerie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan_woolnough Posted May 31, 2002 Share Posted May 31, 2002 Valerie, I have not got a clue, about skunks, as im in the UK. But, i believe some animals, can not see the colour red. If this applies to skunks, then it might be possible to photograph them in black & white, with a red filter over the flash gun. Ive never tried this myself, so i dont know if it is even possible to do !!! Maybe there is someone out there, who has tried it, and can give you more detailed advice on this. Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m._huber Posted May 31, 2002 Share Posted May 31, 2002 I assume my advice is unnecessary, but just in case- don't bother them anywhere near your friend's house, or you will have no friend. A skunk smell extends for quite a distance as anyone who passes a skunk struck by car can testify, and the smell lasts several days. The biggest problem is not you, but a stray dog that might show up. Dogs never learn about skunks and porupines. You have raised a veary interesting subject. I have never thought of photographing skunks because I always considered them just a pest. (More myopic thinking) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_hansen Posted May 31, 2002 Share Posted May 31, 2002 Skunks regularly eat cat food in and around the rural area I live in. I would suggest putting cat food or some other type of bait close by the stairs so the will go to it . You could set up a blind close by Chr Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m._huber Posted June 1, 2002 Share Posted June 1, 2002 You can shine a flashlight on them, so long as you stay out or their "space", so I would tend to believe they would not be bothered by a flash. However, many animals are annoyed by the click of a camera. Keep us posted. And, yes, they do love cat food and dog food. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robert_kennedy Posted June 1, 2002 Share Posted June 1, 2002 Skunks tend to be very human habituated. They are fearless too. Which is to your benefit. If you could find a place where they feed, and illuminate it you could get some nice shots. Skunks will walk into bright light to eat. They don't care. Pre-illumination will avoid any nasty surprises when your flash goes off and the skunk is startled. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
art_haykin Posted June 4, 2002 Share Posted June 4, 2002 So there was mama skunk, and her two sons "In" and "Out." One day, In went out and didn't come in for dinner, so mama skunk said to Out "Go out and bring In in." So Out went out to bring In in, and came back in inside of ten minutes. Mama skunk said to Out, "Out, how did you ever find In so quickly, and bring In in?" "Oh," said Out "It was easy......In stinks." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
valerie Posted June 4, 2002 Author Share Posted June 4, 2002 *laugh* - at last, I've been zinged by Artie! *bow* I feel so honored... *grin* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wave1 Posted June 6, 2002 Share Posted June 6, 2002 I had a skunk in our yard so often last year I gave him a name, I called him Pepe. He was around most every night an hour or two after dark. Always under the bird feeder. Bird seed was his favorite I guess. I found if I got low, skunk height as it were, Pepe wouldn't bat an eye until I got within 6-8 ft. He'd watch me for sure, but by moving slow, and watching out for irritation on his (her) little face, I found him to be amazingly accommodating. I shot this with a 28-105mm. No reaction from a flash. Watch out for that back end though. When they let you know they're pissed, back off a little. p.s. The Police came by one night with a nasty attitude and a report of a peeper with a camera ( A peeper with a flash? I thought. How effective would that be?). But that's a whole other story. In the end they put their spot-light on him for me. I couldn't get them to pose with Pepe, although I tried. Good luck.<div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wave1 Posted June 6, 2002 Share Posted June 6, 2002 Here is the business end of a Skunk! Watch out for this view! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wave1 Posted June 6, 2002 Share Posted June 6, 2002 Sorry, try again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
w_ls Posted August 22, 2007 Share Posted August 22, 2007 As far as the red filter light goes, no, skunks are able to se it. I've tried it before on them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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