Off the Beaten Track: Danita Cahill, Western Photographer

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We take great pleasure in welcoming the talented and lovely Danita Cahill who is a freelance photographer and writer specializing in all things western. 

Alli, thanks for having me today. What an honor!

How old were you when you got your first camera?

I got my first little Kodak point and shoot for my 10^th birthday.

When did you start specializing in western photography?

I started “specializing” in western and rural images right away. My favorite subjects to snap photos of were the animals on our farm. 

Do you have a western background?

I’ve lived my entire life in the Pacific NW, all but my first two years in Western Oregon. Most of my life has been spent living in the country. My husband and I and our two sons live on five acres. We keep lots of animals, including two dogs, a horse and a small herd of alpacas.  I still love shooting photos of animals – mine and those belonging to others.

When I was nine, my dad hauled home a truck full of ponies. I bawled with joy. There was nothing I wanted more than a horse – and Shetland ponies fit the bill just fine! I’ve had at least one horse in my life pretty much ever since. My mare Koko, who I’ve had since she was three, just had her 15^th birthday.

I rode Koko for over six years as a volunteer deputy with the Linn County Sheriff’s Mounted Posse. Together she and I did armed security duty (carrying revolvers in leather holsters, true old cowboy style), appeared in parades, did community-service functions, and most importantly, did wilderness search and rescue on horseback. 

What sort of photography do you do and how did you get started professionally?

I’ll answer the latter part of the question first. I’ve worked freelance and on staff for a dozen different newspapers over the past 30 years. I started out as a writer and sort of fell into the photography part of the program. When I started writing human-interest pieces, the editors wanted photos to illustrate the stories.

I’m also a photographer for Farm & Ranch Living, a national magazine, and a feature writer and photographer for Ruralite magazine, which is a regional. Sometimes my photos appear in Country and Country Living magazines.

Besides the newspaper and magazine work I also occasionally do wedding photography, and family and senior portraits. One summer I took photos of kids riding bulls for the riders’ parents and grandparents. (Please forgive the writing across the photos. I’ve had some trouble with photo pirating). Recently I did a dog photo shoot for a dog trainer’s website. 

Who is the pretty blond model in so many of your shots?

Ha! Thanks! That’s my daughter, Alyssa. She’s one of my favorite models. She’s a real cowgirl – a horse trainer, barrel racer and a past bullrider. Her husband, Kirk rides broncs. 

To see more of my photography, please check out my website: http://cahillphotojournalism.com/

And my miracles blog: http://miracahills.wordpress.com/

Find me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DanitaCahill

Follow me on Twitter: @DanitaCahill.

Thanks again Alli, this has been a lot of fun!

A couple of parting questions for the photographer inside your readers – how old were you when you got your first camera? And what is your favorite subject to photograph? 

Off The Beaten Track -- David Townsend, Photographer

This week's Off The Beaten Track contributor is David Townsend, a professional photographer from Denver, Colorado. A self-taught photographer, David's journey started fifteen years ago when he captured the beauty of nature and landscapes in his home state.  He later became an accomplished portrait photographer and master of the digital darkroom.  Portrait photography eventually led him into photographing weddings, and now he and his wife, Lynn, own David Lynn Photography, a thriving wedding and portrait photography business.  David also teaches his skills to new and aspiring photographers with his Shootshops Photography Workshops. Travel and photography have always remained David’s true passions, and he takes every opportunity to combine these whenever possible.

David’s travels have taken him all over the United States, and to three other continents and fifteen countries: Canada, Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Costa Rica, Chile, Argentina, Italy, South Africa, Botswana, Zambia, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam.

 Next week David will return and take us on a photographic journey to South East Asia.

Websites:

www.townsendphotography.com

www.davidlynnphoto.com

www.shootshops.com

www.facebook.com/davidlynnphotography

 

Life is an adventure.

I've ridden my bike at 20mph, steering with one hand and firing off shots with the other.  I've strapped a camera to my ski helmet.  I've drowned a camera 40 feet underwater in Belize.  I like going and being everywhere with a camera.  That's where my life is, that's where my fun is, and that's where the photo opportunities are.

There are plenty of times I don't have a camera with me, and it always allows me to sink fully into the experience.  Even then, my mind's eye is firing away.

I know it sounds a little clichéd, but the simple fact is that beauty is everywhere.  Nothing makes me see that more than photography, and recognizing it has become such a part of my everyday life that I don't even think about it anymore.  I just see it -- in the plain, ordinary and everyday.  It's a simple concept, and when you get it into your consciousness things don't seem so ordinary anymore.  It's all about perspective... lying on the ground in the middle of the woods, a meadow, a street, or in front of a bride and groom with my camera and seeing the world from inches high.... getting up close and personal with things I'd otherwise walk by... then creating art from it. That totally does it for me, and is one of a million reasons why I love to shoot.

 

The images below can also be found at www.townsendphotography.com ~ world galleries

I had the great opportunity to take a two-week overland safari through South Africa, Botswana, and Zambia. We drove caravan-style with Land Rovers equipped with rooftop tents, visiting National Parks and Game Reserves to experience the wildlife of southern Africa.

TIP:  a tripod is essential piece of equipment for night photography.  It allows you to keep the camera perfectly still and create long exposures.

 

We spent one day and night at a lion rescue camp in Botswana, and we had a chance to get up close and personal with these amazing animals.  These images capture both the intense and majestic nature of the lion.

TIP: Especially on safari, a telephoto zoom lens is essential to get close to your subject.  It allows you to exclude things that are unnecessary to your image.

We spotted a pride of lions taking their afternoon nap on a grassy hill on the savannah, and we moved in to see how close we could get to the resting pride. This female stood watch as I was able to get a few shots from about 100 feet away.

TIP: Placing your subject slightly off-center in your image creates a little more dramatic feel to your image.

The giraffe is one of the most unique animals in the world, and it is a rare experience to see these animals in the wild.  With these two images I tried to create the very zen-like feel that these animals convey.

TIP:  Use environmental features to add another graphic element to your image, or look for particular patterns, shapes, or (in this case) alignments that add an interesting perspective.

The zebras were always found in herds, often with a group of ostriches nearby (they help the Zebras search for predators with their keen eyesight.)  I caught the attention of this lone zebra while moving around the vehicle.  He turned and faced me and created the perfect image for me to capture.

TIP:  Keep it simple.  This image is very straightforward, linear, and symmetrical, all adding to the overall artistic look.

The elephants were always fascinating to watch for hours, and we spent a long time observing their playful nature and dedication to the family unit.

TIP:  When photographing animals, look for interactions, as those images are not as common as just a solitary animal standing and doing nothing.

The hippos are notorious for being the most dangerous animal on the continent, but when we visited a watering hole with 30-40 hippos, they were doing what they do best…relaxing.  Every once in a while they would all erupt in what sounded like a group of old men laughing together over a glass of brandy.

TIP:  Use a foreground element to add a dynamic feel.  I shot this image through the grasses to give a sense of place while still maintaining focus on the hippo.

Some of the smaller monkeys around the game parks and reserves have developed a bad (human-inspired) habit of raiding campsites for food.  We even witnessed a giant baboon climb inside one of our trucks and steal a 5-pound bag of potatoes.  Although annoying, it did afford some great photo opportunities, like this one.

TIP: Shooting images with low aperture settings (f/2.8, f/3.5, etc) gives you shallow depth of field and soft blurred backgrounds, letting your subject stand out.

This image of a red hartebeest is a more iconic image, with the lone silhouette of the animal surrounded by the expanse of the African savannah.  I found myself absolutely awestruck at the simple beauty of the savannah and other parts of southern Africa.

TIP:  Use a wider angle lens to include parts of the environment to give a sense of place and perspective. 

This is how you transport vehicles across the mighty Zambezi River from Botswana into Zambia.  We went over to visit Victoria Falls and it was amazing.  Footnote: a couple months after returning home, I read that one of these ferries capsized, killing multiple people.  Wow.

TIP:  Always be on the lookout for interesting perspectives from which to photograph.  Shoot from down on the ground or, if possible, from up above your subject.

The Baobab Trees of southern Africa range in diameter seven to eleven meters, and reach a height of 30 meters. Carbon dating has found some baobab trees to be over 2,000 years old.

TIP:  Sunrise and sunset are the ideal times of day to photograph when the light is softer and warmer.  It creates more dramatic colors and shadows.

The acacia tree is the iconic tree of Africa, and makes for the most interesting images.   There was no shortage of beautiful sunsets while we were there, so I felt compelled to include one.

TIP:  Silhouettes are a classic photographic technique.  Keep it interesting by placing the silhouetted subject off center or in a smaller part of the frame.

Words just can’t describe the enormity of the Salt Flats in Botswana, but if I were to try, it would be the feeling of being in the middle of nowhere. Just walking out onto the flats makes one feel completely alone, in a most peaceful way.

TIP:  Use negative space to create an artistic view of what you are photographing.  In this photo, the vehicles are very small and the sky dominates the scene, giving a sense of the salt flat’s vast expanse.

Russian Animal Fables

Russians tend to humanize their animals rather than mystify them. They give their ursine, vulpine, and feline creatures humanlike characteristics, imbue them with character traits and language abilities. In many tales, man and beasts argue and fight over food, land, or goods. Sometimes they team up against oppressors – human or otherwise. A very popular fable theme typically involves a man catching an animal who begs to be set free on the promise of health, wealth, magical goods, or the gift of a beautiful tsarina to its captor. The story hero pities the creature and lets it go, often not even expecting the pledge to be fulfilled – only to discover that magical things do indeed start to happen to him. Another favorite plot involves man freeing animals from evil spells and turning them back into humans. Somehow, all of those liberated heroes or heroines tend to be of noble origin – princes or princesses, and they immediately fall in love and marry their commoner rescuers.

Animals possess not only very consistent character traits, but often standard genders and names too. They are always referred to as either male or female characters, never an “it.” Bear is big, bulky, and not particular bright. While he is certainly frightening, he can be tricked and bargained with. He is typically named Misha, the Medved (medved means bear) – and yes, that’s the last name of the current president of the Russian Federation – Medvedev. Wolves are dangerous and will gobble up you and your cattle if you don’t ward them off. Luckily, they aren’t very smart and can be fooled. They very often fall victims of foxes’ trickery – the sly cunning Lisaveta wraps Volk around her claw with smiles, flattery, and empty promises. Worse, she often gets him into trouble while slipping away with booty he helped her to steal. Hare, or Zaika, is quick, sometimes cowardly, yet he possesses a certain dignity and is willing to help. Rooster Peter the Petukh is boastful, sometimes narcissistic, and overly self assured, which often gets him in trouble: all Lisaveta has to do is to sing praises to his gorgeous voice and elegant tail, and he is more than willing to fly into her wide open paws. Swan is usually beautiful and, if handled properly, can metamorphose into a single and available tsarina. Whether the hero is Ivan the Fool or Ivan the Tsarevich, they both have to do some slaying of the evil – and that’s where Hare, Duck, and Fish come to help. Actually fish – sometimes Golden Fish, sometimes Tschuka – has been known to magically fulfill her captors’ every wish no matter how ridiculous, in exchange for not being turned into a soup.

Interestingly enough, the talking animals in the tales behave as real animals – carnivorous animals (and humans) still eat meat, even when the meat in question can talk. “I’m gonna eat you,” Wolf says to Hare, who usually yaps long enough to talk his way out. Man bargains with Misha, the Medved, “Don’t hurt me – I’ll give you the top half of my harvest” – and hands the beast the turnip leaves while keeping the roots for himself.

Just about every animal’s personality is beautifully revealed in the famous folk tale Teremok, which doesn’t exactly translate as House, but rather a special kind of a fancy building akin to a palace. Discovering the big comfortable space, various animals move in one by one, forming a happy co-op menagerie until one day there comes a troublemaker who can’t play by the rules, ruins the peace and destroys the edifice.

So, tell me, which animals are part of your national folklore, and what adventures do they bring to your people?