Uinta Ground Squirrels With Blue, Green And Gold Backgrounds

Uinta Ground Squirrel with a blue background – Nikkor D500, f6.3, 1/2000, ISO 640, -0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light

There are a few places in the Wasatch Mountains where I know that if I drive on the far right side of the road, as close to the shoulder as I can, that I can obtain wonderful background colors behind Uinta Ground Squirrels. It isn’t just the colors that appeal to me, it is also how smooth and silky the backgrounds can be.

On the left side of the road where I took these three images there is a very narrow, grassy shoulder and right next to that there is a steep drop off and below that in the distance are grassy patches, willows that line a stream bank and the other side of the canyon way off in the distance.

When I took this Uinta Ground Squirrel photo with the blue background last year I was lined up so that there was a shaded part of the canyon off in the distance which is what created the blueish background.

Uinta Ground Squirrel with a green background – Nikkor D500, f7.1, 1/1600, ISO 640, -0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light

Also photographed last year was this Uinta Ground Squirrel image where I was lined up so a distant grassy area was behind and below the squirrel which is how I obtained the smooth green background in this photo.

Uinta Ground Squirrel with a golden background – Nikkor D500, f9, 1/640, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light

Early this month I was able to create this golden background by having leafless willows that line the creek below the road behind the Uinta Ground Squirrel when I photographed it. I think it also helped that it was still early in the morning and that the sunlight still had a touch of gold to it too. I love that “golden hour” light.

Note: When I looked at this photo in a few different browsers it appears more of a burnished gold than true gold, but I still think of it as golden.

If I were to go back to this area today I know that by now the willows will have leafed out and I might be able to obtain images of a ground squirrel with a lighter green background than the second image I shared above.

When the Uinta Ground Squirrels are above ground during their active period of the year I always drive on the far right hand side of the road in a few areas because I know that if they are visible I can obtain images like these easily and I am always looking for new colors and hues behind the squirrels. Perhaps one day I’ll even be able to photograph a bird in one of these locations. Fingers crossed.

By the way, part of the reason I have to be on the far right side of the road is so that I don’t scare the ground squirrels away and the other part is even on the far right side of the road with my 1.4x teleconverter on my 500mm lens I often have take close up photos and portraits of the ground squirrels because they are so close.

Life is good. Stay safe.

Mia

Click here to see more of my Uinta Ground Squirrel photos plus facts and information about this species.