use of deer stands in nature photography?

[juliescogin]

Do you use a deer stand for Nature and Wildlife Photography, and how

often? What are the benefits, the obstacles? Thanks, Julie.

[tonybynum]

I have but it takes a very special set of circomstances. mainly because of the camera angle. . . if youre shooting canopy birds or across and draw and close to eye level it can work as long as you have enough light. You likely will be using a long lens so you will need some support - another issue if you dont have the right clamps or tree attachements. All in all, it can be a great tool but only under the right conditions.

 

Whatcha trying photograph?

[harris_goldstein]

And are you speaking literally of deer stands (which are typically 8-12 off the ground) or of blinds and other forms of concealment?

[joe baker pine bush ny]

i assume your talking about a tree stand; a platform suspended in a tree commonly used by deer hunters. there,s a reason why archery deer hunters use these stands. it puts you above the eye level of deer and keeps your scent up and away from the area, also it give you a view point of 360degrees. if you stay as quiet as possible,and as motionless as possible, you would be supprised at what nature, will pass in front of you. picking the right tree, to fit the tree stand, and the right location,are the important things,and you also have to be willing to put in your time. i have spent from sunup to sundown in a tree stand, and have seen many wonderful things. i recomend you climb about fifteen to twenty feet up,and not on a windy day.

good luck. Joe B.

[joseph_smith3]

My comments refer only to the plywood enclosed stands about 48" square. They are usually elevated, resulting in an unfavorable angle for most nature shots. The openings are too small for most 500mm and 600mm lenses. It is very hard to maneuver inside with a tripod. The animals can hear any movement. And they are usually located too far away for good nature shots.

 

That being said, some of the larger ones work OK if they are placed on the ground and come with larger openings for big lenses. Some have been modified to include a ball head or gimbal mounting plate so a tripod is not needed. For this to work right, the internal frame of the blind has to be very sturdy. Placement of the blind is critical in that it is not easily moved. Where you want it is usually not where a hunter wants it.

 

Unless you have a specific location that justifies a fixed blind, portable blinds made by Ameristep, like the Doghouse, make much more sense for photographers. If you do have a need for a fixed blind, then build it like a gazebo and not like a hunting blind. This way it can hold more people, offer more shooting ports, etc.

 

Joe Smith

[rob_murray]

Unless your shooting Giraffes or birds in the trees you will be shooting down on everything, not a very good angle..if you want to use one to observe the wildlife for a while to see if the follow any regular patterns that would be a good way to figure out a better ground position to hide in to photograph them.